


Growing Pains

by TaoAndThen



Series: Roots and Wings [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Adolescent Sexuality, Angst with a Happy Ending, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, First Crush, Growing Up, Kidnapping, Literary References & Allusions, Loki Angst, Loki Feels, Loki Redemption, M/M, Off-screen Character Death, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Superhusbands, Teen Angst, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-13
Updated: 2013-07-21
Packaged: 2017-12-11 17:31:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 26
Words: 135,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/801292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaoAndThen/pseuds/TaoAndThen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony and Steve decide they’re ready to have a baby.  But neither Pepper or Natasha are willing to act as a surrogate and adoption agencies are denying them because of their “dangerous lifestyle” as superheroes.  The solution?  Take some genetic material from the both of them and grow a “test tube baby”.  The problem?  Super Soldier Serum and cyberpathic linkage are hereditary, causing the baby to grow at an extraordinarily fast pace and be born with the abilities of both her fathers combined.  Nothing the Avengers can't handle, right?  Sure, you go ahead and tell yourselves that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Inspiration

“Another rejection letter. I feel like we could make a drinking game out of this,” Tony muttered to himself with unbridled annoyance as he poured himself a shot of whiskey. Steve sighed and sat down on the couch, carelessly tossing the letter from the adoption agency aside. “I feel like you already have. And their reasoning isn’t unfounded.”  
  
“Dangerous lifestyle? Are you kidding me? People have very strange ways of showing gratitude for having their city saved. You’re welcome New York!” he yelled at the window as he took a swig. “I wonder how much it would take to bribe them.”  
  
“Tony,” his husband chided, “we’re not going to bribe an adoption agency.”  
  
“Then what do you suggest?” he asked, pouring another glass. “Because the next thing on my list of potential alternatives is kidnapping and I feel like you would have a far more pronounced moral aversion to that.”  
  
“True, I would. But we aren’t out of options. Pepper said no, Natasha said no, but there are surrogacy agencies too, aren’t there?” Tony shook his head and took a generous gulp from the bottle. “They’re all scams. I don’t trust them. Maybe international adoption would work better. I’m sure Natasha has some connections we could go through.”  
  
Steve raised an eyebrow. “…she’s an assassin. I question the legitimacy of any “connections” she might have. Especially to Russia.”  
  
“That’s Russophobic. Then we’ll go interdimensional and adopt a little Asgardian orphan,” he replied sarcastically. “I’m sure Thor could find one for us. Hell, let’s adopt Loki. He’s an orphan, right?”  
  
“Put the whiskey down,” Steve said in a parental tone. “Inebriation won’t get us anywhere.”  
  
“Really? Because it’s getting me to my happy place.”  
  
“Dangerous lifestyle and an alcoholic. It’s no wonder the adoption agency denied us.”  
  
“Hey, I am not an alcoholic,” Tony replied defensively, words slightly slurred as he pointed a finger. “I’m an…enthusiast.”  
  
“My bullshit radar is going off.” Natasha came into the common room and stood near the couch, looking back and forth between the two. “I heard your banter from my room.  What’s going on?” Steve handed her the rejection letter. “This,” he said as her eyes scanned the paper. She let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. “How deep in the whiskey is he?” she asked Steve quietly, cupping her mouth in his direction. Mimicking her action he replied, “He suggested adopting Loki.” She raised an eyebrow in shock and disbelief. “He…suggested…Good Lord, Tony, bottle down, right now.”  
  
“If this is how he handles rejection, I’m a little nervous to see how he’s going to celebrate once we finally manage to have a child,” Steve mused aloud as he watched Natasha try to wrestle the alcohol away from Tony. “It feels like we already have one in the house, now that I think about it…”

* * *

  
**The Next Morning**  
  
  
“Natasha, I will give you a million dollars if you act as a surrogate for us.” Tony clutched his aching forehead and glanced at the doorway. “For the last time, no. I can’t afford to take a ‘maternal leave’ from S.H.I.E.L.D. and even if I could, I wouldn’t want to.” She shook her head.  
  
“You’re a terrible friend,” he drawled. She stormed into his bedroom and opened the blinds, spilling sunlight into the room. “And you’re looking a little pale. You could use some sun.” He covered his face with a pillow. “Gimme a break, I’m hungover,” he whined.  
  
“And that’s your own damn fault,” she pointed out. “Look, some way or another you and Steve will find a way to have a child. But acting like one in the mean time isn’t going to do you any favors.”  
  
“Can you do me a favor?” he asked pathetically peeking out from under the pillow. She shook her head at the pitiful creature. “What do you want?”  
  
“Be my surrogate. I’ll give a billion dollars.”  
  
"No."  
  
“A trillion. One million for each trimester.”  
  
“No.”  
  
“If the roles were reversed I would do it for you.”  
  
“Really? I find that hard to believe.”  
  
“I could build a new suit that would fit.”  
  
“I meant because that’s quite selfless, not a gender swap.”  
  
He rolled over onto his stomach and she closed the blinds. “Even when they aren’t around, kids are a pain in the ass.”  
  
“And yet you want one?” she asked trying not to laugh as she folded her arms over her chest.  
  
“I need someone to inherit Stark Industries. Don’t give me that look, that’s not the only reason. I want a kid. I do. For the sake of having a kid, being a parent, and all that emotional nonsense I've only recently developed a knack and tolerance for. And let’s face it, I’d be the coolest dad ever. I’m Iron Man.”  
  
“And Steve is Captain America. That’s tough competition.”  
  
“I can fly.”  
  
“You build suits that let you fly,” she corrected. “He has super strength and speed.”  
  
“I threw a nuke into a portal to outer space and blew up an alien mothership. I’m the lovechild of Transformers and Independence Day.”  
  
She was unable to hold back her laughter. “I concede, only because I know you won’t give up.”  
  
“Damn right I won’t give up. Because I’m Iron Man. Coolest dad ever.”  
  
“If you say so.” She leaned back against the wall. “Do you two have a preference between a boy or a girl?”  
  
“I think Steve wants a boy because he’s a 1940s anachronism. I couldn’t care less.”  
  
“What about names?”  
  
“Steve wants something traditional sounding because he’s a 1940s anachronism. As long as I can pronounce it, I’m golden. The last name on the other hand, Rogers-Stark or Stark-Rogers, that’s a different story. Obviously Stark-Rogers is the best choice, but I think it will come down to flipping a coin. You know what would be nice? If Cabbage Patch Kids were real. We could just go pick one right out of the dirt. Or if they grew on trees.”  
  
“That would be convenient…but also a very disturbing sight.”  
  
He slowly lifted his aching head and furrowed his brow in thought. “That’s it. That’s what we’re gonna do.”  
  
“What’s it?” she asked confused. He looked over at her. “Grow one. In the lab. We can take my genetic material, Steve’s genetic material, play with the gametes a little, and then bam. Zygote.”  
  
“That’s even more disturbing of an image. Can you actually do that?” He sat up and pushed the covers aside. “We’re going to find out.”  
  
“What if it looks like a mutation from Alien?”  
  
“Then we know we’re on the right path. We just have a few kinks to work out.” He stood in the doorway and shouted over to the common area. “Hey Steve! Do me a favor and go masturbate in the lab!”  
  
“WHAT?!”  
  
 _Yelling while hungover. Can’t always be brilliant I guess_. “Do you want a kid or not?!”  
  
“Why the lab?!”  
  
“The usual! I’m gonna do science!” Steve came over the bedroom looking befuddled. “Are you still drunk?” he asked suspiciously, making Natasha giggle. He shook his head. “No, just hungover, and inspired. We can grow a baby. In the lab.”  
  
“What? No. No, no, no. I can’t say I feel comfortable playing God.” Steve put up his hands in protest.  
  
“You wouldn’t be, that’s the beautiful part. I would. Because I do the science. I’d just need a contribution from you.”  
  
“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”  
  
“Either you go masturbate in the lab, or I’ll get that contribution from you another way. My favorite way,” he replied with a wink. Natasha clamped her hands over her ears. “And that’s my queue to leave!” she announced, quickly walking out of the room. She made her way to the common area of the Avenger’s Mansion and flopped down on the couch, trying to purge mental images of babies growing on trees, in test tubes, and Steve and Tony having sex from her mind. Bruce watched her from the kitchen, slowly chewing away on his breakfast cereal.  
  
“Do I even want to know?” he asked with slight hesitation. She turned her head to him. “Tony wants to try growing a baby in the lab using a combination of their genetic material. Hence the “go masturbate in the lab” command he just issued.”  
  
“Is he still drunk?”  
  
“No, he’s ‘hungover and inspired’.” She sat up and folded one leg over the other. “Is it possible for him to do that? I know zygotes have been formed from two women before but I’ve never heard of male sex cells creating a zygote.”  
  
“One of the sets of gametes could be manipulated into behaving like female sex cells and allow fertilization to occur. It’s certainly possible. Whether or not it would lead to a healthy newborn is a different story. But I trust Tony to succeed. He’ll figure something out.”  
  
“Be honest with me. Would you have the patience to babysit? Deal with hours of endless crying? Baby-proofing the mansion? And all the messes?” He paused and meditated on her question. “The thought never crossed my mind,” he replied uncomfortably, shrinking away. “Perhaps I won’t be able to stay here for much longer.”  
  
“We’ll deal with that when the time comes. If it comes,” she replied encouragingly. “Forty dollars says they find a way to bribe Fury into babysitting.”  
  
“You’re on.”


	2. What's In a Name?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually did use a name generator (behindthename.com) to come up with most of these, but settled on the one I liked best. Coming up with the excuses for why the other names were a no go, that was fun to do :)
> 
> Please ignore my terrible pseudo-science. I'm working on it, I promise!

“This petrie dish is designed to emulate the environment of the endometrial lining for an egg to embed in. Now all we need to do is put the zygote inside and make sure it takes hold. If it works, we leave it in here for a little while and then move it into a larger space, continuing to do so as it grows. Once the forty week gestation period is over the test tube will sound an alarm and start to drain as the artificial amniotic sack breaks, and once it’s completely emptied this anti-gravity device will trigger to suspend it for safe removal.”  
  
“‘Safe removal’? You said like you’re talking about taking something out of a microwave,” Bruce remarked as he reviewed the schematics Tony drew up. “Oven,” he corrected. “It’s a bun in the oven.”  
  
“Clever. What about oxygen?”  
  
“Oxygen flow will begin to stimulate breathing after the final test tube has emptied. Ready to make a baby?”  
  
“As long as you’re not being literal. So you were able to create male and female sex cells?” Tony nodded as he inserted a very thin needle into a petrie dish full of clear liquid which held the sex cells and slowly drained it. “Nature bends to my will, my friend.” He held the needle carefully over the second petrie dish housing the artificial environment and emptied the contents inside. He put the sample under a microscope and adjusted it until he had a clear view of the zygote he created. “Miracle of life, meet the 21st century.”  
  
“Is it taking?”  
  
“Not yet,” he replied anxiously.  
  
“You didn’t play around with it too much, did you? Do things like pick eye color, sex, height, and so on?”  
  
“Nope. That was Steve’s condition. He would only be okay with going through with this if that were left up to Mother Nature. Here we go, looks like it’s- YES! Success. The eagle has landed.”  
  
“Let me see that,” Bruce said curiously. Grinning, Tony stepped aside, an arm outstretched towards the microscope. “Am I brilliant, or am I brilliant?”  
  
“That’s…incredible. Well done Tony,” he congratulated. “Something occurred to me earlier today. Would any of the modifications that either you or Steve have undergone are somehow passed on?”  
  
“You mean the Super Soldier Serum and cyberpathology?” He shrugged. “I never entertained the possibility, but it doesn’t sound very plausible.”  
  
“Neither does an alien invasion led by a Norse God,” his colleague countered. “Fair. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.” Both slowly turned to the petrie dish when they heard a faint cracking noise. “What the hell was that?” Tony peered into the microscope and his eyes widened. “So much for waiting…Bruce, do me a favor and help me get started on another test tube.”  
  
“What’s happening?”  
  
“It grew. Holy shit, that looks…about a week, maybe two. This could be a problem.”  
  
“You haven’t even started preparing the nursery.”  
  
“Actually I was referring to the nine months of baby-free sex I had left. Time really isn’t on my side here. Need to focus. This won’t be enough to sustain it. It needs to be transferred to something bigger.”

 

* * *

  
 **Two Days Later**  
  
  
After a series of more spontaneous growth spurts what began as an experiment was now a success two days old, but biologically sitting at two months. Thanks to gallons of coffee and help from Bruce, Tony was able to construct a suitable artificial environment, complete with a pseudo amniotic sack and placenta. Roughly the size of a kidney bean, it was barely visible in the test tube but if one looked close enough they could see the little webbed fingers.  
  
Because these spurts continued to happen without warning the Avengers began taking turns monitoring the developing embryo so the very exhausted Tony could sleep, only to be awoken if a new environment need be constructed. But his growing anxiety caused sleep to elude him.  
  
“Alright, so maybe I didn’t think this through,” he admitted, a mug of warm coffee in his hands as he leaned forward on the sofa. “But…we’re having a baby. Yay?” Steve was only so thrilled, his primary concern being the reduced amount of development time increasing the potentiality for deformations and risks to arise.  Regardless of whether or not the baby would inherit their abilities there was still a high chance it could inherit the plethora of health concerns he suffered from before injection.  
  
“You did jump the gun. But you’re right…” He broke into a smile. “Finally having a baby. Have you seen the nursery? Pepper almost has it completely furnished.”  
  
“Yeah, I took a look earlier today. I like it. Bruce thinks this rapid growth is a result of the serum. If that’s the case…I don’t want to have a toddler one night and wake up the next morning to find a pre-teen. What if the kid has super strength or can connect to my suits?”  
  
“Then we find a way to manage. One thing at a time. When will we know if it’s a boy or a girl?”  
  
“Uh…shit. That’s a good question. There are ways of testing fairly early but they aren’t the most reliable. We might not know until anything’s, ya know, visible. I think dimorphism starts around eleven weeks.”  
  
“We need to settle on a name.”  
  
“Once you stop coming up with names my great-grandparents would approve of.”

"What's wrong with Bethany or Duncan?"

"Everything.  What's wrong with Addison or Liam?"

"Everything."

"Well God only knows how much time we have left considering the exponential growth rate.  We need to pick one soon."

"I'm partial to Margaret."

"I thought that torch burnt out a long time ago," Tony teased.

"I meant the name, not the person."

"I know, I know, I'm just giving you a hard time.  And Margaret is a no go."

 

* * *

  
 **In the Lab**  
  
  
Though it was Natasha’s turn to babysit “the tank” as these tubes were now being called Thor insisted on accompanying her. He was utterly fascinated by the development of an unborn Midgardian. “How does it work back home?” she asked as she cupped her hands around her eyes and peered through the glass. “This is actually supposed to take nine months, but thanks to Steve’s injection it’s growing ridiculously fast. Awww, you can just barely see the little fingers…” she uncharacteristcally cooed.  
  
“It is different for every Asgardian. When Loki was expecting-”  
  
“What?!” she exclaimed and spun around, blinking rapidly at the Norse God. “Loki was **pregnant**?”  
  
“Yes, he was. Only female humans can bear children, correct? Gods are different. He has six children, one of whom he birthed himself in the form of a mare. The child was a horse with eight legs, and he became my father’s steed.”  
  
“…you must have the most interesting family reunions. I’m guessing not every pregnancy is the result of intercourse either?”  
  
“Nor every birth the result of pregnancy.”  
  
“But no God has ever been grown in a lab, right?” she chuckled.  
  
“Not to my knowledge,” he replied, missing the humor. “What are human infants like after birth?”  
  
“Weak. They can’t hold up their heads because their spines aren't very strong, they have what’s called a ‘soft spot’ on their head where the skull has yet to fully fuse leaving their brain unprotected, and they can’t move around. They crawl before they can walk and can’t verbally communicate for quite some time. They cry a lot, scream a lot, and rarely sleep. And if munchkin over here inherited Steve’s super juice we might skip most of that and go right to fun part, toddlers. They get into everything, make messes everywhere, learn to talk _and_ back talk, throw temper tantrums, break things…”  
  
“Are we sure Bruce did not contribute to the creation of this little human?” She laughed again. “No Thor, he didn’t. All human toddlers do that. Then they become relatively stable for a few years until they enter an awkward phase known as puberty, where they begin to change from children into young adults. Then they’re teenagers, and that’s when they’re the scariest.”  
  
“This part of human development I am familiar with,” he said with grave seriousness.  
  
“Oh? How?” _What’s with the change in tone?_  
  
“Some of your minstrels wrote a very popular melody about it. It goes, “They said all teenagers scare the living shit out of me. They could care less as long as someone will bleed”. We will need to be on the defensive at all times when the child becomes a teenager. They sound very belligerent.”  
  
Natasha hugged her arms to her stomach to hold back a vicious fit of laughter. She didn’t know what was funnier, his pop culture reference or calling My Chemical Romance “minstrels”. Her face bright red, she turned around so as to not let Thor think she was mocking him. She immediately stopped when she saw the embryo was growing. “Whoa,” she breathed as the tiny speck stretched out. When it stopped she could hear a gentle thumping noise against the tank. “I think that’s a heartbeat!” she exclaimed. “This is so crazy. It’s almost…half a foot long. Thor, come see this.” She ushered him over and he approached her side, gazing into the tank. “I still can’t believe what I’m seeing. Aliens and Gods, sure, just another day’s work. But watching a baby grow in a tank at a ridiculously fast pace…” She shook her head. “This is so strange. I bet the dads are gonna want to see this.”  
  
“See what?” The door to the lab opened and Tony and Steve looked inside. “J.A.R.V.I.S. said something was happening with the embryo.”  
  
“It’s a fetus now,” Natasha replied, waving them over. “Look. It grew again, and I’m fairly certain that’s a heartbeat. Listen closely.” Both men leaned close against the tank and held their breath, listening intently. They could barely make out the light thumping sound. Steve put a hand over his mouth. “Look at how big it is,” he marveled. “A test tube baby is very abnormal but…I must admit, I do feel lucky being able to see it grow.”  
  
“You mean ‘her’.” Tony folded his arms over his chest. “Look closely. J.A.R.V.I.S, biologically speaking how old is the fetus?”  
  
“Approximately sixteen weeks,” the AI replied. Tony whistled. “Alright. It just doubled in age. So about that name we still don’t have…”  
  
“I’m still very partial to Margaret.”  
  
“Steve, I’m not naming my daughter after a woman you wanted to ‘make fondue’ with,” his husband replied emphatically. “It’s creepy.”  
  
“I want to name her after someone who’s had a significant impact in my life and Peggy was a very encouraging and helpful woman to whom I am forever grateful, regardless of how I may have felt about her. Who would you name her after?”  
  
“I can’t think of a single woman who’s had a significant impact on my life aside from Pepper. I take that back. Every single woman I’ve ever slept with, because each one brought me closer and closer to the realization that vaginas are kinda gross.  Especially Pepper.” He glanced at Natasha. “Subjectively speaking, of course.” It was a sad day indeed for women across the world when Tony Stark came out as gay.  
  
“Worry not Tony, my vagina isn’t offended,” she replied with mock reassurance. “Are you two really having that much trouble coming up with a name? Why not use a name generator? There are hundreds online.”  
  
“And you know this how?” Tony asked suspiciously. “Well, I, um…Alright, I give. I’m a little excited about the idea of being ‘Auntie Natasha’, and I was up last night looking at baby names. There. I said it.”  
  
“Are unborn humans able to breathe underwater?” Thor asked tilting his head to the side in curiosity as he watched the tank. “Yeah, that’s how the lungs start developing,” Tony replied.  
  
“But born humans cannot, though it would far more useful to them? Your development is fascinating! There is no logic to it!” the Norse God exclaimed. Tony ignored him and returned his attention to Steve to continue the conversation of choosing a name but he was too busy fawning over the fetus, just as captivated as the clueless deity by the subtle chest movements as the unborn creature continued to breath. His shoulders dropped. “Well this is going nowhere.”  
  
“Are you even looking at this?” Steve asked with mild disapproval. “You can see your unborn daughter breathing right now.” Tony rolled his eyes in defeat and joined the other two in watching.  
  
“Wow. That…that really is something,” he said nodding. Natasha left the three of them awestruck as she went to go retrieve her laptop. On her way to her room she passed Clint, who was supposed to take over her shift and start watching the tank.  
  
“It grew again,” she said over her shoulder. “Hurry down there. You can see it breath and hear the heartbeat!” She grabbed her laptop and returned to the lab, laughing softly to herself as she watched the four grown men completely mesmerized by what was happening in the tank. _It’s like they’re already bonding with her_ , she thought to herself as she sat down and turned on the machine. _Good thing they didn’t use a surrogate.  Steve's right.  Being able to see the development...We're already bonding with her in a way, it seems_. She went online and pulled up the first name generator she found.  
  
“Alright Iron Mom and Captain Dad, ready to name the little munchkin?”  
  
“What did you just call me?” Tony asked, eyebrow raised. She folded her hands under her chin. “What’s wrong with being the mom? Besides, it’s fitting.”  
  
“How in the hell do you figure that? Steve is the effeminate one.”  
  
“I don’t spend hours obsessing over my hair every morning…”  
  
“Don’t help.”  
  
“It’s simple. The symbol for iron is ‘Fe’ and another word for man is ‘male’. Put them together and you get ‘female’. That and ‘man’ and ‘mom’ sound similar.”  
  
“Really cute Natasha, but it’s Captain Dad and Iron Dad.”  
  
“Someone’s masculine pride has been wounded,” Clint teased. Natasha clapped her hands together. “Focus, boys. We need a first name and a middle name…check. Feminine name…check. Here we go.” She hit ‘generate’. “And our first suggestion is ‘Kylie Arianna’.”  
  
Steve shook his head. “It’s pretty I guess, but then her initials would be KARS.”  
  
“You mean ‘KASR’.”  
  
“I know what I said.  And that's even worse.”  
  
“Debate the last name later. Yes, no, maybe?” Both shook their heads and she tried again. “‘Nadia Kennedy’. I approve of the first name; spelled with a ‘y’ instead ‘i’ and it’s short for Nadezhda.  Means 'hope'.”  
  
“I thought Kennedy was a last name,” Tony replied. “Hell no.”  
  
“I don’t like the idea of her bearing the name of the man behind the massive failure that was the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Pass.”  
  
“That’s your objection Steve? Because of a military failure?”  
  
Natasha rubbed her temples. “No wonder they’re having so much trouble…Alright, unanimous no. Option three. ‘Lila Agatha’. Lila is pretty…”  
  
“I like Agatha,” Steve added. Tony shook his head at him. “No you don’t.”  
  
“Jesus, you two are making this impossible! ‘Elisabeth Madelyn’. That’s with an ‘s’, by the way. I kind of like it, actually.  It has a strange aesthetic appeal.”  
  
“Elisabeth is hackneyed,” Tony complained. “No matter how you spell it.”  
  
“Madelyn is the name of an ex-girlfriend of mine,” Steve protested. “Granted we were twelve and all she did was kiss me on the cheek, but my point stands."  
  
“Now that would be creepy,” his husband agreed.  
  
“Option four. ‘Charlotte Dagmar’.”  
  
“That’s a perfect name,” Thor suddenly piped up. “Dagmar is from a Norse name, taking the words for ‘day’ and ‘maid’. I approve.”  
  
“Well it has the Asgardian seal of approval,” Clint commented with a shrug as if that held significance. Steve shook his head. “No, I don’t want something too exotic.”  
  
“Tone it down with the patriotism, would ya sweet tits? Anyway, Charlotte’s not bad.”  
  
“Elisabeth is hackneyed but Charlotte isn’t?”  
  
Tony paused and replied, “Then again I have slept with a handful of Charlottes. That’s a no from me.”  
  
 _If there wasn’t a fetus a few feet away from me I would be ten times more tempted to shoot those two than I already am._ “Alright, so we’ve ruled out anything too exotic, anything too traditional, anything hackneyed, and it can’t be shared with a girl who’s kissed Steve on the cheek or fucked Tony. I feel like that should really narrow it down. Come on guys, there has to be something. For all we know she could be born tomorrow. Do you want her to not have a name when that happens?”  
  
“I would like to have one picked before she’s born.”  
  
“Yeah, this discussion is getting dragged on a little too much. Maybe we’re being a little too picky. But seriously, it can’t be the same as any woman I’ve slept with.”  
  
Natasha clicked. “Ever slept with a ‘Sophie’ before?”  
  
“Four.”  
  
“What about ‘Ivy’?”  
  
“Stage name, yes. Real name...I don't think she ever told me.  And if she did I forgot.”  
  
“That’s even creepier,” Clint said. Natasha nodded in agreement. “That’s a no to ‘Sophie Ivy’. Next is ‘Danielle Olivia’.” _There’s no way Tony hasn’t slept with a Danielle or an Olivia, especially Danielle.  It's far too common._  
  
“Can’t say I’ve ever slept with a Danielle or an Olivia before. I like it. Has a nice ring to it.”  
  
 _What?! That’s…a relief. So what’s the captain’s complaint?_   She waited for Steve's objection.  
  
“Danielle Olivia,” he repeated quietly, rubbing his chin in though. “It’s pretty. I think it’s great.” Natasha hung her head. “Finally,” she sighed. “Now shake on it!” she quickly added. “We’re not doing that again.”


	3. Maybe She's Born With It

In under the month the lab started to look less like a lab and more like a hospital room as Danielle’s development continued at an exponentially quickening pace. At three weeks she was near the final few days of gestation, causing both overwhelming excitement and anxiety. There was a strange pause in the development, which J.A.R.V.I.S. had confirmed to be a neo-natal stabilization of sorts triggered by the body's instincts in preparation for entering the world.  At six months this stabilization appeared to have finalized.  Steve had inspected every inch of the manor at least four times to ensure the entire area was baby-proofed. Tony was constantly running test after test to make sure that the rapid growth didn’t cause any health problems in the baby as Steve feared. Both were running on a combined total of about seven hours of sleep each night. Bruce did what he could to monitor the lab when Tony was sleep-deprived, Pepper had finished putting the nursery together, Natasha was mentally preparing herself for the constant requests of babysitting she knew she was going to receive (which she would gladly accept, excited to become “Auntie Natasha”) and balancing that with being an assassin, Clint’s keen sense of perception put Steve’s mind at ease that the area was secure for a newborn, and Thor waited with bated breath and overwhelming curiosity as to what a newborn human would be like.  
  
In the middle of one of the few nights Tony was able to relax enough to sleep, Steve in bed with him, he was rudely awakened by an alarm. Initially too groggy to pay it any mind it quickly occurred to him exactly what that sound meant- the tank was simulating labor. He wanted as few people in the lab as possible to prevent any exposure to pathogens so he and Bruce went inside, doors sealed tightly shut, to monitor the tank as the artificial amniotic fluid drained and the chamber changed to prepare the newborn for what lie ahead.  
  
Natasha called Pepper over so she could be there when Danielle was first introduced to the world. Steve anxiously paced back and forth as he waited for his husband and colleague to emerge from the lab-turned-hospital room with their test tube baby. As exhausted as everyone was they refused to be absent from this moment both for the sake of their own excitement and to show their support for the new parents. Pepper even came prepared with a camera to take their first family photos together.  
  
As they waited impatiently outside the lab they could hear more talking than they anything else, amplifying Steve’s growing concern. Bruce’s theory was correct; not only had the Super Soldier Serum that he contributed forced her fast pre-natal development, she was also born with noticeable abilities that would prove to be quite the challenge as she aged. An x-ray showed that parts of her bones had been hollowed out and carried bits of networking infused into her biological build in similar fashion to modifications Tony had made on himself to allow for faster fusion to his suits. And despite her stature and being but a few minutes old she had the physical strength to lift her head and had no soft spot to speak of. She was genetically programmed to carry the skills both her parents possessed which would no doubt have to be honed as she aged further. At the current moment she showed no signs as rapid aging. Once they completed all the testing after the cutting of the umbilical cord and first few breaths, Tony took a deep sigh of relief as he removed his medical gloves and wrapped her up in a bundle of blankets hospitals used when handling newborns.  
  
 _This will be fun to explain to the press_ , he thought to himself as Bruce finally opened the lab door. Tony walked carefully out into the hall where everyone was waiting, extremely nervous about holding his newborn daughter for the first time. Like most newborns she had blue eyes though it was possible she inherited them just as she had her fathers’ powers. Everyone was quiet as Tony approached Steve. Pepper quickly pulled out the camera and waited for the perfect moment.  
  
“Steve, Danielle. Danielle, Steve. You don’t need to be as gentle with her as you might think…She inherited a hell of a lot more from us than we bargained for if you know what I mean. Regardless…baby.” He smiled and Steve clasped his hands over his mouth, his anxiety immediately dissipating. It need not be said that it was love at first sight. He ran the back of his hand over his eyes. “I told myself I wouldn’t cry but…I’m too sentimental for my own good I think,” he laughed as he held out his arms. Tony carefully handed her over and nodded. “Well you did cry when I proposed. And at the wedding. And during the honeymoon. Face it honey, you’re a crier. Is it bad that aside from being overwhelmed by the joys of her being born, I also feel a sense of superiority, as though this is the ultimate ‘fuck you’ to those adoption agencies?”  
  
“Tony, language,” Steve scolded softly. “Who knows how the serum has affected her cognitive development?”  
  
“If she doesn’t pick it up from me now she will eventually.  And keep in mind who we live and work with.”  
  
“Fair enough. This is quite the…’eff you’ to those adoption agencies. If they’re so concerned about superhero parents creating a dangerous environment for a baby to grow up in, I feel a super baby is the most appropriate response.” He looked up at Tony. “She’s so beautiful,” he murmured.  
  
“And you’re a sap,” he teased before stealing a kiss. Pepper cleared her throat and held up the camera. “Family photo time?” she asked eagerly. Despite her breakup with Tony not long after Loki’s rampage on New York the two still remained on the best of terms that exes possibly could, and she was probably the happiest for the couple now that they finally had their long awaited bundle of joy because of the platonic intimacy the two still shared.  
  
“Go for it,” Tony replied giving a thumbs up. As soon as the first photo had been taken the rest of the group clamored over to them, each trying to get a chance to hold her (or at the very least catch a glimpse).

 

* * *

  
**Three Months Later**  
  
  
As Steve predicted, Danielle was already forming words and attempting phrases much earlier than a normal human child. During a lazy Sunday afternoon he and Tony made a bet to see whose name she would say first. She was in her high chair, squirming restlessly as the two stood on either side.  
  
“Dani, say ‘Steve’.”  
  
“Hey, munchkin, over here. Say ‘Tony’.” She looked back and forth at them slightly confused and broke into a giggle. Tony sighed and nodded slowly. “You wanna play hardball, huh? Alright, say ‘Iron Man’.”  
  
“No Dani, say ‘Captain America’.”  
  
She opened her mouth and began to utter monosyllabic sounds. “I…I…” Tony shook his fist triumphantly and then pointed at Steve. “Barely a minute and you’ve already lost.”  
  
“Uh…uh…A…” He raised an eyebrow at his husband. “Have I now?” Suddenly she squealed loudly as Thor walked past in the background. “Asgard!” she exclaimed, smiling widely and giggling more. They exchanged disappointed glances. “That was anti-climactic,” the blond commented as she continued repeating the word, happily pounding her hands on the table of her high chair, reveling in her victory.  
  
“The bet hasn’t been called off.”  
  
Later that day Tony snuck her into the lab with him, hoping to instill a love of mechanics and science as early as possible. The suits were locked up and he was reviewing schematics for a new model he was designing while Dani sat in her bouncer by his side. “Boom!” she cried and kept reaching out for the suits. He looked down at her and chuckled. “Precocious, aren’t we?”  
  
“Boom!” she repeated, trying to reach as far as possible. He shook his head smiling when suddenly a low humming sound stirred the laboratory. One of the gloves flew out from the secured chambers and onto her tiny hand. She giggled and flexed her fingers. “Boom!” she said again and pointed the glove at the suits, which slowly began to glow.  
  
 _SHIT!_ “Power down!” he commanded. The glove immediately ceased. “Power!” she echoed and it lit up again, preparing a beam. “No, power down! J.A.R.V.I.S., help me out here. Don’t listen to her!”  
  
“Listen!” she squealed, confusing the AI who had been programmed to attend to the child’s needs. Unfortunately this meant responding to her every demand, as she knew her needs better than anyone else.  
  
“No J.A.R.V.I.S., don’t listen to her, she’s just a baby, she shouldn’t be operating the suits in the first place! Power down!”  
  
“Listen! Power!”  
  
“I feel like Victor Frankenstein,” he muttered to himself as the glove was yanked off of her and attached to his own hand instead. “Power down,” he commanded one last time and the suit obeyed. Sighing in relief, he asked J.A.R.V.I.S. to locate Natasha to babysit while he finished working. He checked the security cameras to ensure Steve was nowhere within proximity as he wheeled her out of the lab to meet Natasha elsewhere. Unfortunately for him he had forgotten exactly how fast Steve could move and as soon as the lab door opened he was standing there tapping a foot, arms folded over his chest, an expectant look on his face.  
  
“Is now a bad time to make a pun about being caught red handed?” Tony asked sheepishly, holding up his gloved hand. Steve shook his head. “What in God’s name were you thinking?!” Steve exclaimed. “The lab? She’s three months old!”  
  
“I was only reviewing my latest schematics. How was I supposed to know she could summon the suits?”  
  
“Because she’s wired with the ability to do so, in case you forgot!”  
  
“If it counts for anything…had she fired…I think she has decent aim. She might make a valuable addition to the Aven-”  
  
“Tony!”  
  
“I’m sorry for not wanting her talents to go to waste!”  
  
Naturally the media had picked up on the (in)famous Tony Stark and his fellow superhero husband having a child of their own after months of failed adoption attempts and rumors were swirling about how exactly they came to have a baby of their own. He knew he would have to have them sooner or later and decided to take the late night talk show circuit route from O’Brien to Leno to Letterman and everyone in between, possibly even international. After revealing how Danielle had been conceived some religious fundamentalist groups began to cry foul, accusing him of doing exactly what Steve had by trying to play God, stirring up a hotbed of debates on bioethics. But he had developed a thick skin to the media and public scrutiny long ago, easily brushing it off and focusing on more important things like raising his daughter.  
  
There was one major area of concern weighing down Steve however. The night of Tony’s third public television appearance, which the others were watching back at home, he pulled Thor aside. “I need to ask you about Loki,” he said in a hushed tone.  
  
“What about him?” he asked slightly defensively.  
  
“I’m a father now. My overprotective instincts are in hyperdrive, whatever that means. I picked up the word from Tony.  I need reassurance that I won’t have to worry about seeing him anytime soon. There are plenty of threats out there that we will be facing but I’ll be damned if he reappears. I fear he might go after Dani. Again, I’m being paranoid and overprotective, but I don’t think my concerns are entirely without reason. How long will he be locked away for?”  
  
Thor thought for a moment. “Time in Asgard flows differently than here, in Midgard. If I had to estimate I would say his sentence will end in sixteen or so Midgardian years. You have nothing to fear,” he said putting a hand on his comrade's shoulder. “The super baby is safe, so long as your husband refrains from bringing her into his laboratory again. Loki is the least of your worries.”  Steve suppressed a laugh.  "That isn't the only thing I'm worried about.  She has the serum in her blood too.  Who knows what kind of damage she might cause?  We can't restrain her, she's just a child.  But we can't train her either...because she's just a child."

Somewhere on the other side of the floor they heard a crashing sound, Clint cursing in pain, and Danielle triumphantly shouting, "For Asgard!".

"Loki is the least of your worries," Thor reiterated with a slow nod as Clint continued cursing and the baby giggled.


	4. Kids and Their Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't call it a spoiler but there is some influence from IM 3 in here at the end, so if anyone still hasn't seen it yet...now you know something from the movie. Also, the thought of Samuel L. Jackson interacting with a child reminded me of 'Go the Fuck to Sleep', so there's also minor influence from that as well.

It took six years but Natasha won her forty dollars from Bruce. No threat as great as the Chitauri invasion had surfaced but there were still threats worthy of the Avengers’ attention, and when they made their presence known Pepper usually babysat. But on the evening of this particular mission she was sick at home with a terrible cold, forcing Danielle to be left in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s care while her family went to work. Nervous about having the ‘super baby’ in the headquarters, Nick felt obligated to keep a constant eye on her. To make matters worse she took after Steve almost exclusively in looks; her personality on the other hand bore a semblance to Tony's (at least in the sense that she annoyed Nick from time to time, more so than most).  
  
“Mr. Nick, why do you have a helicarrier and not a big ship?” she asked curiously, sitting at the desk in his office as she colored on the back of paperwork the council sent him that he was actively ignoring, kicking her legs back and forth. He stopped pacing the room and looked up from Coulson’s latest field report. “Why would I have a ship?” he asked confused, looking down at her.  
  
“Because you’re a pirate.” He dropped his forehead in his hand as she continued working on her masterpiece. “Why are you a pirate? I thought pirates were bad guys that like to burn cities and steal booty. Does that mean my daddy is a pirate? He does burn things in his lab, and he talks about ‘getting booty’ a lot…”  
  
“I’m not a pirate Dani, I just lost an eye. As for Tony, he’s-”  
  
“How do you lose an eye? Did you forget where you put it?”  
  
“I didn’t misplace it-”  
  
“Did someone steal it? Why would they want your eye? Did they forget where they put theirs so they stole yours to replace it?”  
  
“Yes, that’s exactly what happened,” he said deadpan, hoping it would placate her. “Who stole it?” she asked intrigued, blue eyes widening.  
  
 _Mother fucker, I am never having kids._ “I don’t know. I didn’t see it happen. Because they took my eye.”  
  
“Was your other eye not working?”  
  
“It was closed. It was dark. It was night. I was asleep.”  
  
“It’s not nice to steal people’s eyeballs,” she said shaking her head, then held up her picture. “Look at what I made! It’s the family!” He approached the desk to examine her drawing. She pointed at a red stick figure with yellow lines coming out of its hands. “That’s daddy and his lasers.” She pointed at a blue stick figure holding up a blue and red circle. “And that’s father and his shield.” She pointed at a taller one holding a stick with a square attached to it, surrounded by yellow squiggles. “That’s Uncle Thor and his hammer and he’s making it stormy.” She pointed at a stick figure holding a semi-circle in one hand and a pointed line in the other. “That’s Uncle Clint and his bow and arrow.” She pointed at a large green humanoid figure. “That’s Uncle Bruce being cranky because daddy left the milk out and it spoiled again.” She finally pointed to a stick figure with a mess of red swirly lines on its head, its arms raised up. “And that’s Auntie Tasha yelling at everyone for being stupid.”  
  
“That’s certainly realistic. You are a very gifted artist. What’s that thing? A cow?” He pointed to a stick figure on all fours with curved horns on its head. There was a blue line in one of its front appendages. She laughed. “No Mr. Nick! That’s Mr. Loki and his Glow Stick of Destiny! Daddy said he was a reindeer. Does that mean Uncle Thor knows Santa?!”  
  
“I wouldn’t get your hopes up on that one.” _Why would Tony call Loki a reindeer? I don’t think even Tony knows why he does half of the things he does…_ “Where’s Pepper?”  
  
“Oh, she’s at work, that’s why she’s not in the picture. And Happy is out driving, so he’s not in the picture either.”  
  
“What are those up there? Clouds?”  
  
“No, those are the aliens that attacked New York. And this is the helicarrier.” She tapped on her rendition of the airship. “That’s where you are, with Mrs. Maria and Mr. Phil.”  
  
“Is this supposed to be the invasion?” She nodded. “I don’t know what happened except there was a hole in the sky and Mr. Loki had his alien friends come through it, he wanted to rule the planet like a king, and he stole the Magic Blue Glow Box.”  
  
“No one’s told you the whole story? I’ll admit I’m surprised your dad hasn’t taken the opportunity to embellish a little…”  
  
“Where is Mr. Loki now?”  
  
“Rotting in Asgard jail. He’s been there since his invasion was thwarted.”  
  
“Will he be there forever?”  
  
“No, not forever. He’ll be let out eventually. Not sure when and as long as he doesn’t show his damn face on my planet again I can’t say I really care. He’s only a threat to me when he’s threatening Earth. Otherwise, he’s Asgard’s problem.”  
  
“That's good," she said with a sympathetic nod. "It's not nice to keep someone in jail forever. Everybody makes mistakes. Why did he want to be the king? Can reindeer be kings?”  
  
“He thinks that he’s superior to humans and that makes him entitled to rule us.”  
  
“Shouldn’t he be in a zoo instead of a jail? Do they have zoos in Asgard?”  
  
 _Based on what I’ve seen come out of it, I feel like Asgard might be a zoo._ “Dani, Loki isn’t a reindeer. He looks like humans, like us.”  
  
“So he looks like a pirate?”  
  
“No, he looks like this.” Nick went behind the desk and stood next to her, bringing up old footage from the incarceration on the helicarrier that was stored on his computer. He showed her a still frame. “That’s what he looks like,” he replied. She leaned in closely to the screen and frowned. “And he’s Uncle Thor’s brother? He doesn’t look like him.”  
  
“According to Thor he’s adopted. He said Loki’s actually some kind of frost giant. He can turn blue.”  
  
“I can too when I hold my breath! Am I a frost giant?”  
  
“…no, you’re a human. A little human with super speed, super strength, and the ability to fuse with specialized mechanical suits.”  
  
“When I grow up will I be a super hero too? Will I be an Avenger?”  
  
“You could be, but I’ll need your parents to sign a permission slip first.”

"Would I be a good Avenger?  Like my parents?"

"When you learn to take orders and listen to other people.  You know, work in a team."

She frowned.  "That doesn't sound very fun.  I just want to make explosions."

"Yeah, you're definitely a Stark."

* * *

  
 **That Evening, Avenger’s Mansion**  
  
  
“Does something about this look wrong to you?” Danielle demanded, one hand on her hip as she showed Tony her picture. He looked down at her as he rummaged through the fridge. “Yeah, that’s an outdated model of my suit.”  
  
“No!” She stomped a foot and pointed at her reindeer drawing. “You said Mr. Loki is a reindeer but Mr. Nick, who isn’t a pirate after all, showed me a picture of him and he looks like a person.  A person who really likes green.  Not a reindeer!”  
  
“When did I…? Oh, wait, hold on. I called him ‘reindeer games’ because of the helmet he had on. Loki is no Rudolph. You want anything before bed?” He pointed at the fridge.  
  
“The truth.” She folded her arms over her chest as she puffed it out. “I wanna know what happened when Mr. Loki attacked. Make it a bedtime story.”  
  
“You wanna hear the whole thing?” he asked closing the door disappointed. “J.A.R.V.I.S., remind me to remind someone to run out and get ingredients for chili con carne.”  
  
“Mr. J.A.R.V.I.S., please ignore that unless daddy tells me my bedtime story.”  
  
“As you wish, Danielle,” the AI replied to irk Tony. She smiled. “Thank you, Mr. J.A.R.V.I.S.”  
  
“Anything for you, Danielle.”  
  
“How do you get him to be so submissive?” he asked with a hint of jealousy. She shrugged. “I ask nicely.”  
  
“I can’t believe you’re using my chili as a bargaining chip. I'm not sure if I should be proud of or afraid your 'negotiation' skills. You’ll get your story.” She smiled as she put the picture on the fridge and slapped a magnet over it. “On one condition. Explain the whole ‘ask nicely’ thing to me after, would ya?  It's not something I'm very familiar with.” She nodded and grabbed his hand, dragging him along to her room. “Is father going to sleep already?” She turned on her light switch. Tony closed her door as she pulled her custom-made Captain America footie pajamas, made to resemble Steve’s outfit, out of her dresser and changed.  
  
“Oh yeah. He took a pretty nasty hit earlier.”  
  
“But he’s okay, right?” she asked as she crawled into bed. “Oh, wait.  That’s a silly question. He’s Captain America. He’s fine.”  
  
 _No love for Iron Man?_ He sat next to her and fluffed out her pillow. It was shaped like Steve's shield.  Next to it lay her Iron Man plushie, which she cuddled with every night as she slept.  “Yeah, he’s fine. But that bruise on his arm looks like it stings like a bitch- pitch. Pitcher. Like a pitcher threw a baseball at him. So you want to know about the Chitauri invasion and our encounter with Loki."

"Yes, please."  She nodded eagerly, grabbing the plushie and squeezing it excitedly.

"Alright.  Where to start?...Agent Coulson-"

"Mr. Phil," she corrected with a wag of her finger.  "His name is Phil."

"His name is Agent."

" _Phil_ ," she insisted.

"Alright, 'Mr. Phil' came here with some documents for me to look over and the next thing I know I’m flying to Germany to help your father and Natasha fight him. The three of us have him in the back of the copter, en route to S.H.I.E.L.D. and a thunderstorm kicks up. Well MC Hammer arrives and frees Loki to try and talk him out of his plans. Me and your father followed them and always the diplomatic peacemaker, Steve gets us to stop fighting and we all head to S.H.I.E.L.D. with Loki who gets locked up while we, along with Bruce try to figure out what to do.  See, Loki was able to come here because that Magic Blue Glow Box I told you about can create portals, and then he proceeded to steal it like the ass- Asgardian that he is. And he used the Glow Stick of Destiny to possess Clint and a handful of other S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives, like Dr. Selvig. So we’re arguing over what to do with Loki and how to get the Magic Blue Glow Box back, which is frustrating Bruce because things are getting heated. Everything came full circle when Natasha went to go ‘babysit’ Loki to try and learn his plan. And his plan was to turn Bruce into the Jolly Green Giant, which he did. Not only that, but everyone he possessed began attacking the helicarrier except for Dr. Selvig. Hulk goes after Natasha, Natasha flees and runs into a possessed Clint who she then proceeds to beat the crap out of, while Thor is fighting Hulk to stop his rampage, and your father and I attempt to make some very important repairs on the helicarrier. During all the chaos Loki was able to escape, the Hulk took a leap of faith and landed somewhere down in Manhattan, and I headed back here where reindeer games was waiting. Dr. Selvig was out on the roof getting ready to open up the portal while Loki was trying to instill fear in me by threatening me with his “army”. I was too busy getting a drink and putting on my cybernetic linkage wristbands to pay much attention. He’s not as intimidating as he probably likes to think he is. He tried to possess me too but unfortunately for him the Glow Stick of Destiny only works on organic material, which the arc reactor certainly is not. I think he wasn’t very happy about that little hiccup because he threw me out the window, but since I was smart enough to put on those wristbands beforehand I was able to suit up before splattering all over the pavement."  He grinned when she gasped loudly and put her hands over her mouth.  "He broke the windows?!  Father would have been so mad about the mess..."

"Indeed he would've.  The portal had opened and the Chitauri start pouring out like a swarm of bees. Angry bees on flying motorcycles. Everyone else had regrouped down below and we start knocking heads. Bruce met up with us and turned back into the Hulk, which was very convenient considering a giant Chitauri worm-like creature was heading our way. He stopped it, I blew it up, and your father gave the orders. Clint was on rooftop duty shooting down every alien in sight while I continued to fly around and blow them up. The big guy was jumping around from building to building like a spider monkey, smashing any alien unlucky enough to be within arm’s reach. Thor fried the Chitauri that were still coming out of the portal with his hammer, and your father and Natasha stayed on the ground. Natasha jumped off of his shield and onto one of the aliens, hitching a ride back here to try and close the portal. Loki saw and was in hot pursuit but Clint shot him with an explosive arrow which threw him off his ride. Those two hit the roof, and before Loki could go after her the Hulk jumped up out of nowhere and tackled him right through the window and into the kitchen, where he threw him around like a ragdoll.  We started closing the portal but Fury’s bosses decided that was the perfect time to release a nuclear warhead on Manhattan, which I grabbed and tossed into the portal. I tossed it at the Chitauri ship and once it blew up the attacks stopped, but I almost didn’t make it back. J.A.R.V.I.S. began losing power once I went through that portal and after I let go of the nuke the suit started falling apart. I've always had my suits connected to the AI, in autopilot mode, and never designed a manual model.  If I did I would have been fine.  I started to freefall, not knowing if that portal was still open behind me. Luckily it was, barely, but I made it through right before it closed. I blacked out from the shock but luckily the big guy caught me, saving my life, but I was still out. They were afraid I was dead and I was afraid I was dead too, but then Hulk roared right in my damn face and I came to. First thing I see? Your father. He’s so cute when he’s about to cry, the big baby. I made a joke about how I hoped no one had kissed me while I was out, but I secretly wished he had. He said that we won but Thor pointed out we had to go get his brother. Those two went back to Asgard using the Magic Blue Glow Box, Clint and Natasha went back to work doing…S.H.I.E.L.D. things, Bruce and I drove off to do science things, and your father drove off into the horizon like the picturesque ending of a movie. The next day we all went out for shawarma and it was nowhere near as amazing as I had thought. I was very underwhelmed. Because of the new team we formed Thor received special permission from his father to stay here in case we were needed again.  A few days after that I broke up with Pepper, began remodeling Stark Tower into the Avengers Mansion, asked your father out, and during our date I told him in a slightly drunken stupor that he was beautiful enough of being worthy to bear my children. And that’s how I saved the world with a little bit of help from the rest of the Avengers. No reindeer were harmed in the making of this bedtime story.”  
  
She raised an eyebrow at him. “You saved the world with their help? It sounded like teamwork.”  
  
“It was. As a team they worked to back me up when I threw that nuke into outer space.”  
  
“That’s not what I mean,” she said with a slight scowl. “Well that’s what happened,” he replied playfully mocking her. “Now it’s time for you to get to sleep. But seriously, how do you make him listen to you like that?”  
  
“You really don’t know?”  
  
“Sweetie, if I did I wouldn’t be asking.”  
  
“You programmed J.A.R.V.I.S. to listen to me.” Tony blinked in thought. “So your remarkable dominance over him is my doing, technically speaking? Pun intended. I suppose I can live with that. The thought I mean, not the situation. I’m reprogramming him not to bend over backwards for you anymore.”  
  
“Daddy?” She latched onto his arm. “Mr. Nick said when I’m older I can be a super hero too. I just need permission from you and father. Can I be a super hero when I’m older? Please? Please?” Her lower lip quivered in an adorable pout. He laughed. “I guess so. But no crime fighting on school nights. And you’ll need to keep your grades up too.”  
  
“I can do that. I am half Stark after all. I was born brilliant, just like you.”  
  
“I’m serious, no crime fighting on school nights. Now stop being a little kiss ass and get some sleep.”  
  
“Ugh. Fine.” She let go of his arm and lay down, slightly glaring at him. “But I don’t want to hear you whine when I can’t ‘help you’ because it’s a school night.” She bopped him on the arm with her plushie.  He rubbed his chin, pretending to give her words careful consideration. “You have a fair point there…But I’m sure I’ll manage. This rock star already has five other backup singers. And no using suits without my permission either.”  
  
“Can I have my own?” she asked as he rose yawning. With a lazy nod he replied, “I’ll make you one someday.” She held out an arm and extended her pinkie, which he hooked with his own. “I promise.”  
  
“Does it have to be red?”  
  
“It can be whatever you want. Within reason of course. I might be a miracle worker but I have yet to attain Godhood.” She nodded as her eyes started to flicker shut. “Hey daddy?” she asked quietly.  
  
“Yeah munchkin?”  
  
“If Mr. Loki comes back, you’ll stop him again, right?”  
  
“If he’s stupid enough to try, absolutely.” She nodded again, her sleepy voice starting to trail off. “That’s good. I don’t…want him to…break our windows again…”  
  
“Yeah, that would suck a little if he did. But it’s very unlikely that he ever will because he knows we’re here.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Goodnight Miss Mini Avenger.”  
  
“Goodnight daddy…” Not long after the words escaped her lips she lost in slumber. Tony turned out her light and went to his room. Steve was sitting up in bed holding an ice pack on shoulder, leaning against the headboard.  
  
“Is she asleep?”  
  
“Yeah. How’s the arm?”  
  
“I’ve had far worse. This is nothing. How are you feeling?”  
  
“Me?” Tony asked, surprised by the question as he threw off his shirt and changed into a pair of sweat pants. “I’m not the one who got socked in the arm. Why do you ask?” Steve examined him as he got in bed. “You’re pale,” he replied concerned.  
  
“I am? Damn it…” He felt an old but familiar ache in his head. “Dani wanted to hear about the fight against Loki and I, I told her about, about the nuke, and the fall, and, and…” He winced as the memories of the event flashed through his head, his breathing starting to quicken. “I guess it still makes me anxious…thinking about what happened…” He felt Steve’s free hand grab onto his shaking one. “Hey, Tony, stay with me. You’re fine,” he assured in a gentle voice. “You’re okay.” He let out a heavy sigh and squeezed Steve’s hand. “I thought this anxiety bullshit went away a long time ago,” he muttered shaking his head in annoyance. Steve set the ice pack down on his bedside table and pulled Tony against his chest, one arm around him and the other in his lap, still holding his hand. “Are you going to be able to sleep?” he asked, kissing the back of his neck.  
  
“Maybe.” He closed his eyes and exhaled. “If I stay like this. On the bright side, she didn't ask where babies come from.”

"Good Lord, the day she starts dating..."

"I'm greeting her potential paramours suited up."

"Scare them off and she'll never be able to date anyone."

"That's the idea," Tony yawned.


	5. Lessons to Be Learned

Danielle tapped her fingers impatiently on her desk, her blue eyes fixated on the classroom clock. In a matter of seconds she would be on her way to her favorite class, leaving her least favorite in the process. Her tapping matched the rhythm of the second hand’s ticking sound. She clenched her other hand into a tight fist, overwhelmed by anticipation. _Almost, almost, just a few more…_  
  
“Danielle Rogers-Stark, please come to the principal’s office. Danielle Rogers-Stark, to the principal’s office.” A bit of static, a click, and the loud speaker was turned off. Her eyes darted back and forth in confusion. _What the shit?_ As the bell rang she groaned and made the trek down to the office, cursing under her breath for having to miss her favorite class. She shuffled inside, the office secretary casually pointing with her thumb to the partially open door. She stepped inside, anticipating a lecture and punishment despite the fact that she was the target of bullying and harassment at school; it always ended with a classic case of victim blaming. Much to her surprise and delight Happy Hogan was there chatting with the school’s principal while waiting for the teenager to arrive.  
  
“Hey Happy,” she greeted with a noticeable undertone of confusion. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”  
  
“Family emergency,” he replied. “Your dad asked me to come pick you up.” She perked up. “Really? Well what are we waiting for?” ‘Family emergency’ was a code for something related to S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers, both as a group or individually, she came up with in the event that she might be needed elsewhere on school days. On the way to her locker she asked in a hushed tone, “Care to share? Or is it too sensitive?”  She groaned as she tore off a few pieces of paper that had been taped on, either throwing homophobic slurs at her parents or a few creative insults at Danielle herself.  Though not actively or directly bullied on a regular basis, there were a select group amongst her peers who liked to give her a hard time for being a 'test tube baby' and 'freak science experiment'.  
  
“It’s a hot mess,” he whispered back as they reached her locker.  She loaded up her backpack with a few books, then crumpled the notes and carelessly tossed them into a trash can as they headed to the exit.  When they reached the car she threw her backpack in the back sit and slid into the passenger seat.  
  
“What’s going on?” she asked as he started up the car. “Everyone is currently trying to concoct a plan with Director Fury after Thor shared some interesting news this morning.”  
  
“What’s the news?”  
  
“Loki’s prison term has ended,” he replied, visibly uncomfortable. “However, the big kahuna in Asgard had an additional punishment lined up for him which was only recently revealed to Thor. He’s been stripped of his godly power and is being forced to live here to develop an appreciation for humans, to see us as equals and not inferiors as he currently believes.”  
  
“What?!” she exclaimed as they hit Manhattan traffic.  
  
He nodded in confirmation. “I couldn’t believe it either. Bruce was too frustrated by the news to feel comfortable leaving the mansion so he holed himself up in that special relaxation room he put together for himself. Everyone else is having the talk with Fury via J.A.R.V.I.S. Last I heard they hadn’t made any progress on how to address the issue aside from trying to find him and keep an eye on him. And as any parent would both of yours went into a bit of a panic knowing he’s on the streets and you weren’t aware. They want you to be a part of this because they can’t lock you up in the mansion until this blows over, as much as I’m sure they would love to.”  
  
“And Uncle Thor just found out recently?” she asked raising an eyebrow. He nodded as traffic began to move again. “Sadly, yes.” She snorted in amusement. “Looks like I’ll finally be getting my suit.”  
  
“…I guess that’s a silver lining.”

* * *

  
 **Avengers Mansion, Common Area**  
  
  
After Happy dropped off Danielle and returned to work she found the group sans Bruce deliberating and arguing both amongst themselves and a live stream projection of Nick Fury that J.A.R.V.I.S. was casting. She would have gone unnoticed amongst all the noise had she not obnoxiously dropped her backpack onto the floor. She sat on the arm of the couch and clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Starting the party without me? How most inconsiderate of you.”  
  
“Oh thank the Lord you’re here,” a pacing Steve said through punctuated breaths, sighing in relief as he sat down next to her. Danielle rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m here. Loki’s kidnapping attempt on the drive back was unsuccessful and the car only sustained minor damage.”  
  
“His what?!”  
  
“I was being sarcastic!” she exclaimed. “Calm down. Happy told me about this powerless trial period he has to undergo here on Earth. Has anyone come up with anything regarding…anything? Because I feel like this isn’t as great of a threat as you all are making it out to be…He can’t use his powers and if he tries to instigate anything some other way he’ll blow whatever human cover he has. He might not be incarcerated but he’s still definitely imprisoned. Unless I missed something about him having access sensitive information like where the nukes are.  But I doubt S.H.I.E.L.D. would hand something like that over.”  
  
“That’s the concern,” the projection of Nick Fury from S.H.I.E.L.D.’s headquarters replied, ignoring her sarcasm. “It’s been almost seventeen years and our security systems have undergone many drastic changes but that doesn’t mean someone needs godly powers to breach them.”  
  
“It’s true, I hacked you again last week,” Tony added. “You’re welcome by the way, for me finding all those loopholes in your system.”  
  
“Stark, unless you have something helpful to say, keep your mouth shut,” the director snapped. “He’s arrogant and that can cloud his judgment, but he’s not stupid. If he wanted to try again he would find a way. And even if he wasn’t successful an attempt is still an attempt, and an attempt is something we need to keep an eye out for.”  
  
“But why would he be interested in S.H.I.E.L.D. if the Tesseract is Odin’s possession again?" Danielle wondered aloud and then smacked her forehead. "Oh, right, revenge. That’s a thing people like to try and get sometimes…And he could be after something completely unrelated.  Note to self, no narrow thinking.”  
  
“Thor, you saw him from time to time while he was in prison. Has he changed at all?” Natasha asked. The Norse God hesitated. “He seemed to. But while I trust my father’s judgment we all know that is his game. He’s an actor, an illusionist, and a liesmith.”  
  
“He’ll be here forever and powerless if he doesn’t change, right? Wouldn’t that motivate him to take this seriously?” the teenager asked with slightly narrowed eyes. “If he isn’t stupid like Nick claims then he knows what he’s gotten himself into and if he wants out as badly as we can assume he does, he knows what he has to do. Can he actually fake developing an appreciation for humans? Wouldn’t Odin be able to see through an act like that?”  
  
“That’s the other half of the problem,” Clint replied and deferred to Thor who elaborated. “My father has entered the Odinsleep. As it stands, Asgard is without a king. In such times I would be the one to act as the ruler until he awakens, but even if I did I would still have an obligation to keep an eye on Loki which could very well bring me here to Midgard. And though it is not completely defenseless it is without a complete ruling judicial body. If Loki were to cause trouble there is no justice system to try and convict him, only hold him as prisoner again.  Only the God of justice, Forseti, remains but he cannot deliver punishment.  He can only assess whether or not one is guilty.”  
  
“In other words since he’s technically outside of our jurisdiction and the only people with jurisdiction are lacking their head honcho the Avengers have been reduced from ‘Earth’s mightiest heroes’ to a damn police force,” Nick said with blatant frustration. Danielle nodded. “Alright, I see why that’s a problem. But can I make one simple request of everyone and ask that you not become overprotective and overbearing? Please? Unlike the rest of you I lead a normal life. Kind of. I can’t be kept here for my own safety when I still have to go to school and pretend I have a social life of some sort.”  
  
“Nonsense, you’ll be homeschooled.”  
  
“Dad!” she protested. “He’s the one that should be locked away, not me.”  _Assuming he does have the worst of intentions anyway.  Would time in prison change someone like him, someone who did what he did?  Or would that just make him even more bitter and spiteful and all that good stuff?_  
  
“If Loki were to find out about you and who you are, he could try to use you to get to us, to get to S.H.I.E.L.D., or even worse, he could use you to get back at us,” Tony countered. “Who knows what he would do to you if he tried something like that?  And like it or not you are in the spotlight. You can’t live discreetly when one of your parents is a world-renowned genius and millionaire who flies around in a suit that fires lasers, and the other is a super soldier from the 1940s who has been an American cultural icon for over eighty years. **Especially** not when both of them also happen to be superheroes.”  
  
 _Or when you’re born in a laboratory_. “Then make me a suit, train me, I don’t know! Just don’t take my life away from me 'cause you’re paranoid.”  
  
“If we weren’t paranoid we wouldn’t be fit to call ourselves parents,” Steve said patting her back.  
  
“People, as much of a liability as the young woman might be she isn’t the focus of this conversation,” Nick reminded. “You can talk suits and training on your own time.” She nodded. “Thank you for the subject change. So are you gonna to try and find him?”  
  
“If we do it should be easy,” Thor replied. “Without his powers he is incapable of altering his form.”  
  
“But if he hits up a salon and gets a nose job we’re screwed.” Natasha backhanded Tony on the chest, slightly wincing in pain when her fingers smacked against the arc reactor. “You heard the director, Stark. We need to be serious right now.”  
  
“I am being serious. If he wants to fly under the radar but can’t use his Asgardian hocus pocus to do it, he’ll have to resort to what Earth has to offer.”  
  
“How would he even manage to pay for a nose job?” She shook her head at him. “Rhetorical question.”  
  
“It was just an example. DIY hair-dye is far more plausible.” Natasha raised an eyebrow but shook it off, cursing under her breath in Russian.

“Hey, Avengers, you’re getting off topic. Are you gonna start a Loki hunt? At the very least to find out where he is and what sort of human identity he’s using?”  
  
“If we know what kind of identity he’s assumed we can start to predict what his day-to-day routines might be like, and likely places to find him or the kinds of resources he would have access to if he had a plan brewing,” Clint pointed out. “I say if we’re going to do anything anytime soon, we start there.”  
  
“‘Wait until the tree has fallen before you jump over it’ as they say in Thailand. We won’t be able to do much without information like that, or we’d be rushing in blindly. I’m game,” the red-head said in agreement. Danielle blinked in surprise. “Wait, did I just officiate this meeting? Wow. I feel a little…empowered. Well that’s two of six. Dad, father, Nick, Uncle Thor?”  
  
“Hop to it and let me know anything you learn as soon as you learn it,” Nick replied, while Thor simply nodded.  
  
“Before we start getting our hopes up that we might have this under control has anyone considered that, since we don’t have the Tesseract here, Loki would still be stuck here after regaining his power if Odin is in this ‘Odinsleep’?” Steve asked looking around the room. “Once he regains his powers there is nothing stopping him from suddenly feeling superior again and trying to lay claim to our world.”  
  
“If that happens we’ll just have to kick his ass again. It’s as simple as that. And this time he won’t have his alien army to back him up.” The image of his freefall briefly flashed through Tony’s mind.

Thor shook his head.  "That's not possible.  Only my father can return Loki's power to him, as they are currently being kept in Asgard under a surveillance of sorts.  They are in the possession of another, one who can be trusted.  If he were to prove a change in moral character he would have to present his case before the Asgardian court, which consists of Forseti and my father.  Without the Allfather being awake to partake in a trial or receive his powers again, he will remain here until he exhibits a change, and then will return to Asgard."

Tony clapped his hands together.  “I don’t know about the rest of you but all of this Loki talk is making me wish I were drunk. Gin and tonic, anybody?”  
  
“Yes please.”  
  
“Dani, you’re sixteen.”  
  
“…wine cooler?”  
  
“Much more reasonable.”

* * *

**That Evening, Avenger's Mansion**

**  
**A book in her hands and a low-proof wine cooler by her side, Danielle sat on her bay window and engrossed herself in the fictional world of Isaac Bashevis Singer's _Enemies, a Love Story._   The Avengers were continuing their discussion over what to do in regards to what was now colloquially referred to as 'The Loki Situation' but she wanted no part in it.  She wasn't an Avenger and felt she had no place in the group huddle; they would update her on the conclusions they arrived on afterward.  And Danielle did have a habit of monopolizing conversations when inspiration struck her like a bolt of lightning, causing her to take charge of things she had little to no say in.  She was by no means a leader by nature but she was very quick to rush to the aid of others, and always felt obligated to be at the forefront to protect those she cared for and alleviate their stress and general concerns.

This was also a double-edged sword for her however, as she was just as quick to put her own interests and well-being aside for those of the people she cared for.  The number was limited to her family and close associates such Pepper and Rhodey, and to a degree S.H.I.E.L.D., but having grown up in an environment which required her to mature at a pace much faster than her peers instilled within her a sense of responsibility to be that beacon of hope or rock to cling to for those in need.  Having Captain America as a father and the Avengers as a whole as her extended family no doubt influenced that way of thinking.  Sometimes it even led her to believe she knew what was best for others despite any protest or disdain they might voice for her actions.

Her love of literature stemmed from this habit.  It forced her to step away from the tribulations around her and the frustrations the people she loved were facing, and to cope with those of characters whose lives and decision she had no control over.  It removed her from reality and subsequently herself.  No matter how much she wanted to scream and yell and scold a character when she, through the literary device of dramatic irony, knew trouble loomed over their horizons she had no influence.  It was her way of trying to tame the savior she had unintentionally turned herself into.  And her love of reading began at a very early age when Thor would tell her of the _Prose Edda_ and _Poetic Edda_ , the Midgardian records (with some dramatic inaccuracies) of his life and adventures in Asgard.  She found them thrilling and exciting, something her father wasn't too fond of considering her age and she was forced to seek out that mental stimulation elsewhere.  Not only that but in the tales she generally found herself sympathizing with the 'anti-hero' or 'antagonist', feeling a sense of victim blaming; she only expressed this to Thor who highly disagreed with the girl considering his firsthand experience but at the same time he found it somewhat refreshing to see someone who didn't immediately demonize his brother, despite his recent actions.  This was a sentiment she dare not express to the rest of her family for fear of their judgment and she knew Thor wouldn't say anything as it was merely a subject of dialectic (sometimes heated debate) between them, and never a concern.

A knock on her door brought her out of the world of Herman Broder, Yadwiga, and Masha.  She finished her lemon flavored drink and dog-earred the page she was on.  "Come on in," she called from her reading and relaxation alcove.  Clint came in and nodded towards her window.  "Let me guess.  Too busy reading to notice the sunset?"  She quickly spun her head around and broke into a broad grin.  Aside from reading and helping her dad in the lab Danielle had a weakness for the natural beauty of sunrises and sunsets, as well as the night sky when not in a location notorious for its light pollution such as her hometown.  She shook her head, eyes sparkling in awe of the sight.  "No matter how many times I see it...It's still just as beautiful..." she breathed.

"We do...have a rooftop...in case you forgot...You know, the place you usually watch it from."

"Hm?  Oh, right!"  She hopped off the bay window and tossed the empty bottle in her trash can.  "Got distracted.  Care to join me?"

"Was already planning on it."  Danielle followed Clint to the rooftop and felt a strange, atypical air resonating from him.  He seemed tense, both physically and mentally and she rolled her eyes.  _He sees better from a distance...Update time_ , she surmised as the automatic doors opened.  Her annoyance melted away as she shielded her eyes from the bright hues spilling across the sky and approached the railing.

"So what's the plan?" she asked as Clint joined her by her side, resting his arms on the railing.  She could tell by the distant look in his eyes he was already 'on patrol'.  "Your dad is already getting started on your suit," he replied.  "Natasha and I are scouring the city.  Bruce is a little uncomfortable with the whole thing, considering what happened the last time he and Loki had a run in so we're not sure what he'll be doing to contribute.  Your father is our liason with S.H.I.E.L.D. and 'on call' in case we find the bastard.  Thor..."  He made a fist and dropped his chin on it.  "Thor is ambivalent and reluctant.  He's afraid that hunting Loki down will perpetuate what made him go bonkers in the first place, but at the same time wants him found to undo whatever is going on in his head."

"Caught between Scylla and Charybdis.  Wait, no, that's Greek...What would the Norse equivalent be?  Caught between Fenrir and Nidhogg...?" she wondered aloud.  Clint raised an eyebrow at her.  "Um, sure, we'll go with that.  As for you, Steve and Tony want you trained and in tip-top shape in case you have the pleasure of encountering him.  Steve said something about twenty mile morning runs to boost your stamina and naturally Tony is being a little competitive, convinced that you won't need it if you have a suit."  Danielle chuckled.  "I love my parents to death and then some but they're so ridiculous sometimes."

"You should've seen them when they tried to settle on your name."  She nodded.  "Yeah, I heard.  Online name generator.  Which, if I had to take a guess, is something Aunt Natasha doesn't only use for naming unborn babies."

"...that's classified.  They flipped a coin to pick the order of your last name."  Her jaw dropped.  "Are you fricken' serious?  They...What the fuck?" she groaned with a slow shake of her head, eyes half-lidded.  "My family is so damn weird," she mumbled.

"Yes.  Yes we are."  She sighed in contentment and folded her arms, resting her cheek on them.  "Wouldn't have it any other way.  I think I'm gonna stay up here until dad needs me to watch the su-"

"Danielle, your dad is requesting your presence in the lab," she heard J.A.R.V.I.S. announce from behind her.  Her lips twisted to the side in slight irritation.  "Killjoy."

"Look at it this way.  The sooner it's done the sooner you can blow things up."  Her eyes widened.  Not even bothering to spare a farewell of some sort she bolted down to Tony's lab.  Her greatest love by far was explosions and blowing things up, something she had been looking forward since the pinkie promise Tony made to her all those years ago.


	6. Fancy Meeting You Here

“Dad, I’m tired, can we just finish this tomorrow?” Danielle glanced up at the clock in the laboratory. “Rather, later today. It’s already after midnight…” She slowly spun in the backless swivel chair she was sitting on.  
  
“Just sit tight for a little while, I’m almost done,” Tony replied as he continued to scribble away the rough draft of the suit he planned on making for her.  
  
“Can’t I just use one of the older ones for now? Do I need to be here while you doodle?”  
  
“Tony, it is late and she has school in the morning,” Steve said quietly, resting his elbows on the table Tony was working at. “You have her measurements. What more do you need to make this suit?”  
  
“Success,” he replied as he started bringing up digitized versions of the schematics. “You want to finish this tonight?” Steve asked in disbelief.  
  
“I’m gonna fall over…” she groaned.  
  
“Then I suggest you stop spinning,” her dad replied nonchalantly as he continued making alterations and modifications. “You’re not going to school today anyway. Not after what we learned yesterday.”  
  
“I can’t carry a giant metal suit of armor around with me,” she replied. “Well yes I could, strength-wise, but it’s not exactly…practical…”  
  
“Well aware, which is why I need you here. I’m going to try something I’ve never done before. I want to see if I can make your suit not only portable, but collapsible to the point where you could keep it in your backpack or pocket.”  
  
She hung her head. “How much longer is this gonna take? Even if I don’t have to wake up early for school I’m still really tired.”  
  
“J.A.R.V.I.S., make Dani some coffee. Extra caffeine. We might be pulling an all-nighter here.”  
  
“J.A.R.V.I.S., can you spike it with Bailey’s instead?” she asked sarcastically, sticking her tongue out at her father when he shot her a disapproving look.  
  
“I’m sorry Danielle, but we are currently out of Bailey’s.”  
  
“Then throw some vodka in it, please.”  
  
“J.A.R.V.I.S., I reprogrammed you not to give in to her every whim and demand, and yet you’re still doing it.” Tony looked over at his daughter. “You’re turning my inventions against me.”  
  
“Crybaby. J.A.R.V.I.S., ignore him, he’s just jealous that you’re more partial to me than him.”  
  
“Understandable. Would you care for some heavily caffeinated coffee?”  
  
“Don’t really have a choice I guess,” she shrugged as the coffeemaker came to life. Tony shook his head and whispered to his husband, “Did you hear that? That’s mutiny. That’s treason.” Ignoring him, Steve returned his attention to Danielle. “Soon you and I will have to implement a training regimen of some sort. Having super speed and strength and mastering your super speed and strength are two very different things.”  
  
“Is that what you told the driving instructor when I slammed the door so hard the car fell apart after I failed my driver’s test last month?” she asked with a slight grin as she waited by the coffeemaker. “Hey J.A.R.V.I.S., if you also have any of that cinnamon flavored creamer, could you please add some?”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“Actually, yes, that is almost exactly what I told her. Verbatim,” he laughed and walked up to her. “I’m sorry this is so frustrating for you and I’m sorry for how overbearing I’ve been acting for the past few hours.”  
  
“I’m not!” Tony chimed in. Ignoring him, he continued, “I can’t help but worry about you. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t envision every possible terrible scenario and then proceed to respond as if they were all going to happen. I think that’s also in part to do with military training though.”  
  
“And that’s why I’m not sorry. Because those terrible scenarios could happen. That jack-Asgardian has quite the track record when it comes to destroying things I love such as this city, my home, and I’ll be damned if you get added to that list. Unlike infrastructure, cars, and buildings you cannot be rebuilt nor replaced.”  
  
“Dad, you’re getting sentimental. How much alcohol did you have earlier?” she joked with an eyebrow raised as she lifted the mug to her lips and blew on her steaming hot drink. “Enough to think doing all of this now is a good idea,” he replied coolly. “Speaking of good ideas, the only kind I have, the schematics are done. Now comes the fun part. Wanna help me build it?” Her eyes lit up and nodded. “Damn right I do!” She took a few sips. “Yikes, that is potent. It tastes like pure espresso with cinnamon sprinkles.” She offered the cup to Steve who took a tiny sip. “Dani, that is pure espresso.”  
  
“What the hell dad?”  She took another sip regardless.  
  
“How do you think I manage to get any work done around here?” he grinned. “J.A.R.V.I.S., it’s go time. Let’s get moving.” He clapped impatiently. Nothing happened. Holding back her laughter Danielle said to the AI, “Thank you very much for the coffee. Can’t let this energy go to waste though! Could you please get the lab ready so dad and I can start building my suit?”  
  
“Right away, Danielle.”  
  
Tony’s jaw dropped. “Come on! Do you listen exclusively to her now?”  
  
“Sir, when you reprogrammed me it was to not give in to any unreasonable request or whim, not just Danielle’s.”  
  
“What’s so unreasonable about asking you to get the lab ready?” he asked confused.  
  
“You didn’t ask, you gave a very vague command,” the AI retorted, forcing Danielle to set the mug down so she could cup her hands over her mouth to stifle her laughter. Unable to hide his amusement Steve murmured to his daughter, “If there was no sound right now, it would look like your dad is yelling at the wall.” Her face turned bright red as she continued to laugh. Putting an arm around her shoulders he added, “Do me a favor Dani, and don’t drink everything in the cup. You’ll be awake for the rest of the week if you do." After Danielle calmed down and Tony ended his banter with the AI, Steve retired for the night leaving the two to begin construction. “Aside from being collapsible,” she asked as she put on her safety goggles, “what else did you add to it?”  
  
“Lots of exploding things,” he replied casually as he converted the 2D image to a 3D model for them to follow. She squealed. “Hooray! I love exploding things!”  
  
“Believe me, I’m well aware. You almost blew up my lab when you were three months old. And considering how quickly you developed due to the serum I think you were trying to do it on purpose. You knew exactly what you were doing.”  
  
“That’s ridiculous,” she scoffed as she tested the blowtorch. He chuckled as she tossed him a pair of safety goggles. “So is growing in a test tube, and you’ve already taken that one off your bucket list. Ready to do science?”  
  
“Do I get a super hero name?”  
  
“You already have one. Miss Mini Avenger. MMA for short. Which also stands for Mixed Martial Arts. It’s perfect. How do I come up with these things? I don’t know. I’m so brilliant that I can’t comprehend my own brilliance.”  
  
“It’s times like these I realize how exactly father became such a patient person. Anyway, let’s do science.”  
  
Tony and Danielle finished what could be called the ‘skeleton’ of the suit before she had a massive caffeine crash. She finally went to sleep around six in the morning while Tony continued working on the suit. Rubbing her eyes as she walked down the hallway she almost bumped into Bruce, who liked to be up with the sun. “Sorry,” she yawned. “My head feels a little floaty right now. I had pure espresso and then handled power tools for about five or six hours. And I know the walls are white but right now they look off-white. I think…I think I need to sleep.”  
  
“I think I need to agree with you on that one,” he replied patting her on the head. She disappeared into her room, then poked her head out. “Hey Uncle Bruce? Are you feeling better now?”  
  
“I’m just trying not to think about it. But thanks for asking.”  
  
“You’re one of the two most reasonable people here, the other being Aunt Natasha.” She yawned again. “Are you worried at all?”  
  
“Not until I have reason to be,” he replied. “Are you?” She smiled and shook her head, then began counting on her fingers. “I have a dad who makes explosions, a father who is like a human tank, an uncle who can fry things with a giant hammer, an uncle who never misses with his arrows, an aunt who almost never misses with her gun, and an uncle who smashes things. I feel pretty safe, all things considered.”  
  
After taking a day while Tony finished up the suit, Danielle was happy to be back at school. She was disappointed that she had to miss English, her favorite class, for two days in a row and was eager to come back. Her teacher, who happened to be her favorite was due to have her baby very soon and she wanted to spend as many classes with her as possible before she left on maternity leave. Though Danielle loved science and engineering like her dad, growing up with it as such a huge part of her life made it very commonplace to her; academically speaking she was never very engaged in science or mathematics as a result, though she still performed well. Literature and language arts were things she had very little exposure to and as she aged she became an avid reader. Tony made it no secret that he hoped she would go on to study the hard sciences during her collegiate career but she was leaning more towards literature and linguistics. Natasha’s occasional Russian lessons over the years no doubt served as somewhat of an inspiration for that.  
  
When the hour finally arrived she reclined back in her desk and sighed in contentment. _Finally, back to Salinger,_ she thought to herself. When the final bell rang her teacher still had yet to arrive, and it was unlike her to be late. Danielle leaned over and whispered to the girl seated to her left, “Mrs. Snyder didn’t have her baby, did she?”  
  
“You didn’t hear? Oh, yeah, you were gone yesterday. Her water broke in class. It was gross. But we’re getting a substitute for the rest of the semester starting today. Not sure how the school found one so quickly. But there’s a rumor going around that he’s really cute and has a British accent.”  
  
“Fitting, I guess. He’s late though…” Danielle wasn’t one for tardiness, at least on the part of other people. She always had a convenient defense ready if she were ever late to something. Out of all the traits that she picked up from Tony, that was the one which probably irritated Steve the most. She started rereading the assignment for the day to pass the time, not bothering to look up when the substitute finally arrived.  
  
“I sincerely apologize for my tardiness, but this building is very difficult to navigate. Well then, good afternoon everyone…” Danielle started to drown him out as she became more and more engrossed in her reading. After a few minutes the girl to her left nudged her. “Roll call,” she whispered. This girl, whose name she could never remember, was one of the few people she bothered talking to at school aside from her teachers. She listened for her name as she continued to read.  
  
“Danielle…” There was an awkward pause which caused her to roll her eyes. _Wonderful. Fan of the parents, the Avengers? Religious fundamentalist? Oh come on, it’s not that hard to pronounce!_ “…Rogers-Stark.” The teacher’s tone was laced with subtle intrigue and enthusiasm. “Present,” she announced in a bored tone, briefly looking up to spare a few seconds of her attention for him until the lesson began. Her eyes widened and she felt a chill run down her spine as he finished taking roll.  
  
 _You have GOT to be kidding me_ , she thought to herself and sank back in her desk, unable to focus on her book. _This would happen to me. This is my life. These are the things that happen in my life. My father is a World War II hero, my dad is a brilliant inventor…_ She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. _And now my English teacher is Loki. Awesome. This is my awesome life. Fuck it all, why can’t he be a reindeer?_


	7. Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

For the remainder of the class period Danielle sat as still as a statue. She processed no sounds, she took no notes, and she probably couldn’t even utter a simply syllable or two if she tried. Every few minutes she would keep darting her eyes towards the clock. The image that Nick Fury had shown her eleven years ago had come to life and was standing in her classroom, playing human. She never told anyone but that image had burned itself her brain and gave her nightmares as a child. Not because of any stories she had been told but because the stillframe itself was terrifying. She found his smile exceptionally disturbing and that smile haunted her sleep for a decent amount of time. He murdered “eighty people in two days” according to Natasha but instead of bearing the demented grin of a psychopath his smile was charming. She shivered at the thought of the image she saw when she was younger. She nearly jumped out of her seat when the dismissal bell rang.  
  
 _And I thought my heart couldn’t beat any faster…I feel like someone was using my rib cage as a punching bag…_ She quickly shoved her things into her backpack and tried to cut ahead of everyone to leave as fast as possible but immediately froze when a voice behind her called, “Ms. Rogers-Stark, could I have a word with you?”  
  
 _No. No you can’t. I have to play along though…Damn it._ She shoved past the other students, a slight sneer on her face as she approached the front desk. She buried her hands deep in the pockets of her hoodie, leg bouncing nervously as she looked away to avoid eye contact. _That smile…Ugh, he has that smile…_ Loki folded his hands on his desk. “You’re rather quiet…” he remarked.  
  
“Heh, well you wanted to talk to me. So talk.” Despite her best efforts she couldn’t hide her nervousness. She was literally a few feet away from the person responsible for her dad’s bout with PTSD and anxiety, the events which led to the shattering of Bifrost, and arguably the most cunning and deceptive creature the Nine Realms had to offer.  
  
“Actually I was curious if you had anything to say.”  
  
“Why would I?” she asked quickly, shoving her hands into her pockets to hide her sweaty palms.  _This isn't happening.  This isn't happening.  Crap.  Crap.  Maybe I should get started on my will._  
  
“You don’t need to pretend as if you don’t know.”  
  
“…how in the shit did you become a fucking teacher when you took on a human identity?” she hissed in his face, suddenly consumed by a mixture of fury and bravado. “If you need to develop an appreciation for humans a high school is the **wrongest** of wrong places to do that.”  _No way in hell I can scare him off, but maybe I can get him off my back a little...Discourage any more conversing, if doable.  Who am I kidding?  That's what he does.  He talks, he lies, he manipulates.  Damn it all Dani, you put yourself in a stupid situation._  
  
“It wasn’t my choice. I didn’t even know I was to come here until I came here,” he replied. “Though I must admit I rather enjoy the arrangement. If you human adolescents truly are as challenging as they say, what better way to put my prejudice to test?”  
  
 _Facetious much?  I honestly don't know if I should be more freaked out or...slightly annoyed.  No doubt he's enjoying the fact that I'm FREAKING OUT even if I'm not showing it.  Am I showing it?  I don't think I need to show it for him to know._ “‘To rest’, you mean,” she snapped, slowly regaining her composure. “Isn’t that the point of this whole ‘arrangement’?”  
  
“It is. And how interesting that of all the people I should encounter, of all the people I will have no choice but to interact with on a regular basis, it’s the child of two of the Avengers.  One being their leader no less.  Thor, in his incessant prattling which I generally ignored, said a great deal about you.”  
  
 _Brilliant._ “If there’s one thing you did right it was getting my parents together, I’ll give you that. Because that led to me and despite my flaws and ever fluctuating self-esteem and severe trust issues, I like me.  But if Thor told you so much about me then it probably goes without saying that people just can't help but love me,” she said, making him chuckle.  Knowing she amused him, though she didn't know why, made her all the more anxious.  As if the smile wasn't bad enough his laugh was so smooth, so casual, so rich in tone, and that made it all the more intimidating. She glanced at the clock. “As riveting as this conversation is I do have another class to get to-”  
  
“I was under the impression that I have the authority to supersede your schedule.”  
  
“Authority? Supersede? You’re failing miserably at the whole ‘I don’t want to rule Midgard anymore’ thing. Even your vocabulary in a simple conversation gives it away.”  _I think I feel a migraine coming on._  
  
“Yes, I suppose that’s something I’ll need to improve. And what better way to do so than by posing as an English teacher?”  
  
“Still wrong. If you see it as ‘posing’ and not a new life you’ll have to lead for an unknown amount of time you’ll never get your power back. Gotta be genuine about it. At least I think that’s how it would work. Makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is me giving you this advice.”  _OK, not what I expected...But still a little scary regardless...Just a little...Someone please pull the fire alarm and get me outta here!_  
  
“I’m trapped here. Not only that but I’m under the involuntary scrutiny of the offspring of my enemies. If I am to leave and regain my abilities it would be foolish of me to neglect any advice, regardless of the source.”  
  
“…you want me to help you…because I’m the child of your enemies. Is that what you’re getting at? If that isn't self-aggrandizing I don't know what is..."  He raised an eyebrow at her in warning and she gulped.  "Why should I help you?”  _OK, this DEFINITELY isn't happening._  
  
“I could fail you if you don’t,” he pointed out with a grin. “And judging by how captivated by the novel you were reading earlier, I would venture to say that would be quite the blow to your self-esteem. Not only am I stuck with you as a student, but you’re stuck with me as the instructor of what I believe to be your favorite academic discipline. Do correct if I’m wrong.”  
  
“You’re certainly perceptive. Goodie.”  
  
“Ah, but so are you.”  
  
“You couldn’t threaten to fail me if I didn’t help anyway. Again, disingenuous.”  
  
“And you have proven me correct.” She tuck out her tongue at him. “Yay me.” _I’m going to regret this._ She took a deep breath. “Here's how this is gonna work.  I won’t say anything because if I do that would cause a riot, for lack of better words, which would interfere with this test you’ve been given. They would only make it harder for you and...Ya know, generally speaking I'm far more like my dad in case you didn't notice, but sometimes shreds of my father's personality take hold of me.  Like...sympathy...and concern...and having a conscious.  Gross.”  She faked a gag.  "And if everyone does enter panic mode then this will only get dragged out even more.  For all of us.  Not too thrilled by the prospect.  I'd like to inhibit making this vicious cycle continue if I can help it."  _And I won't have to interact with him beyond student-teacher unless he oversteps those bounds, in which case it's time to assemble the Avengers._  
  
He blinked in surprise, unsure of what to say. “I feel as though I should express gratitude for that very unexpected…gift. Unfortunately I don’t know how to.” She scoffed. “I highly doubt you find it unfortunate. But if I catch wind of the slightest fuck up on your part, you’re going to get fucked up.”  She pointed at him threateningly.  
  
“Giving orders while hiding behind your father's shield?  That's precious.” He tilted his head to the side, grinning in a mocking fashion. She grit her teeth.   _This is going nowhere.  Or in circles.  Is that the same thing?_   “Maybe I am. But so what?  What else can I do to keep this conversation afloat?  You aren't exactly the most personable individual, if memory serves.  But...but...You wanted to know what I had to say, and that's it.  That's what I had to say.  Apparently we're stuck with each other, you and me, and I really want as little to do with you as possible.  I can't speak for you but I wouldn't be surprised if it were mutual.  But I dunno how realistic that is considering I'll be seeing you almost every day.  There _has_ to be **some sort** of relationship meant to be established here.  Things happen for a reason after all.”  
  
“You believe in that?”  
  
“Considering everything in my life has led up to this moment, I’d be hard pressed to think otherwise. What are the odds? If you give me a few minutes I could probably calculate that actually.  And since I might be the incarnate of your karma if you do anything, and I do mean anything to fuck with my world, my life, my family, any of it, I'll impale you with your own spinal cord and carve out your eyes bit by bit with a rusty utility knife,” she snarled.  _Keep it up Dani, just keep it up.  Even if I am putting on a front it takes guts to confront him._  
  
“Now, now, there’s no need to issue threats. I am completely harmless, much to my chagrin,” he said, flashing the smile that made her skin crawl.  He could easily see through her hollow threats and they provided no shield or sword for her, but she still persisted in keeping her charade going. “Really?" she snorted.  "I’m supposed to believe you? Just because you have no supernatural manifestations of deception and trickery at your disposal doesn’t mean you aren’t still capable of deception and trickery.”  
  
“You said something earlier about trust issues. Is it safe to assume that you’re a decent judge of character as a result? Are you able to detect even the slightest hint of deception?”  
  
“I can smell bullshit from miles away. And right now…you aren’t putting on an act, but at the current moment I think that has more to do with your burning desire to get the hell out of Midgard than to develop a respect and appreciation for humans.”  
  
“I am but a product of my design, Danielle. As are you.” He placed his palms on the desk and rose, staring down at her. “And from where I stand you are still inferior to me based on that alone.”  
  
“And yet you’re willing to take my advice? Should I anticipate this to become a regular thing, giving pep talks and what not?”  
  
“If you are so inclined. Far be it from me to turn away a generous offer such as that. You aren’t nervous anymore. Not as nervous at least.  Why is that?”  
  
She tried to fight back a grin.  _He's trying to get into my head to take control of this conversation.  Not happening._ “An observation, epiphany, whatever you wanna call it.  With or without your powers I see why you have such a reputation for being silver tongued, the liesmith, and overall cunning linguist.” She leaned forward. “You’re nothing but words. You possess others to do your work for you and create alliances with alien races in exchange for power. But you alone have none. Your ‘power’ is entirely dependent on the people around you. You may think you’re above humans but without us, what would you be? What would you have to rule over? Nothing. And that’s where your sense of self comes from. Your ability to manipulate people into doing your work for you while still receiving all the ‘fame and fortune’ so to speak in the end.” _He’s going to kill me sooner or later. Well at least I’m putting him in his place._  
  
She saw him begin to shake with rage, then immediately sat back down looking calm and collected.  As much as he wanted to strangle her there was an ounce of truth to her words, and the sooner he accepted that the sooner he could leave Midgard. “You raise a fair point I had not considered before.”  She could tell by his tone he only took her so seriously and his words were on the verge of dismissive; he was growing tired of conversing with her, either out of boredom or sheer annoyance.  
  
“Pfft. Like I should be surprised? Arrogance and introspection don’t exactly mix. Want some real advice? Get lost. Literally. Wander New York until you’re lost and forced to rely on others not to gain any power or authority, but to fucking survive. Wander New York to see all it has to offer. It’s very cosmopolitan, like a Midgard microcosm. Something for everyone. This test of yours…make something of it. Don’t just abide by this role you’ve been shoved into. That would be very disingenuous in and of itself, and it’s my understanding that you’re not one for letting people box you in. You can’t let this teacher persona define your 'adventures as a human'. _You_ should define it to get the most out of it.” _What in the shit and a half am I doing?_   He blinked in surprise again, this time at her most unexpected sincerity, then nodded slowly in contemplation to give the allusion that he was meditating on her words. “A very intriguing idea. What would you recommend?”  
  
“Shawarma. My family finds it bland but I like it. Shock. I am sort of the odd one out.” _And now I’m opening up to him. Mother of fuck…_ _No, stop, we're done.  Enough.  Shut your mouth Dani.  Just shut your mouth.  He's gonna keep talking.  I can't just shut up; I need some excuse to end this abruptly..._  
  
“That is certainly an experience I can relate to,” he replied, his expression softening briefly. She giggled, immediately causing him to frown at her. “Oh yeah? Because I hear you’re more of a ‘black sheep’ whereas I’m like an ‘ugly duckling’. And the look on your face tells me you don’t understand the reference. A ‘black sheep’ is like a scapegoat, the one in the family that all the blame is placed on and treated like an ‘other’. It’s not always unfounded though. And the ugly duckling is a story about a little chick who is ugly compared to all the other little ducks but when it grows up, instead of becoming a duck it’s a swan.  So, to summarize.  I won’t cover for you, but I won’t tattle either. Not without reason. It would be counterproductive. But like I said, I’m not giving you a second chance.”  
  
“It’s not your place to do so.”  
  
“Considering you’ve been stripped of your powers and I’m a mix of superhuman and cyberpathology, you’re in no position to tell me what my position is.” She faked a curtsy. “And with that, I bid you good day.” As she made her way to the exit she looked over her shoulder and said, “Good luck. I mean it.” Not wanting to hear any response she quickly walked out and went to the nurse’s office, faked a stomach ache (though the nausea felt very real), and Happy came to pick her up.  As she waited she was shaking and sweating profusely.  She had just come face to face with one of her childhood nightmares.  She held her ground, barely, and she would have to do so for an indefinite amount of time.  
  
“I’m not actually sick,” she admitted as they dodged some nasty New York traffic. “I just needed to get out of there.”  
  
“The Loki thing is stressing you out, isn’t it?” he asked and put a hand on her shoulder once they hit a red light. “I don’t blame you. You’re entitled to a break from reality for a bit. You know, Pepper is off today. I doubt she’d tell your parents you faked being sick. Trust me when I say I won’t.”  
  
“Getting away from my family, the epicenter of the Loki paranoia, does sound very refreshing. Do ya know where she is now?”  
  
“At home,” he replied as the traffic light changed. Danielle pulled out her cell phone and called her dad’s ex-girlfriend. “Hey Pepper,” she greeted with a bit of a smile. “Happy said you’re not working today and I’m ‘out sick’. Do you want to, I dunno, go out and do something recreational that normal people do? I need a break from all of this.”


	8. Going DIGITAL

Pepper and Danielle settled down at the food court, each with a slushie in hand. At their feet were a few bags from the various stores they ventured into. Pepper paid for everything so Tony and Steve wouldn’t be suspicious if they saw any recent activity on their bank accounts courtesy of their daughter using their card. Even if she was too young, legally speaking, there are plenty of perks and exceptions when it comes to litigation if your last name (or half of it) is Stark.  
  
“I don’t remember the last time I came to the mall,” a blue-tongued Pepper remarked, observing the crowds around them. “Great idea. I needed to de-stress too. Work has really been weighing me down, among other things.”  
  
“Mind if I ask?” a purple-tongued Danielle asked in between slurps. Pepper shrugged. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with. I think I’m having my mid-life crisis. I’m also ‘at home sick’ today. What about you? What happened at school?"  
  
“No, nothing like that. It’s the…the you-know-who situation,” she replied, glancing around nervously as if someone might be eavesdropping. “It has me on edge.” _And so does having to see him every Monday through Friday for the rest of damned semester. We’re both stuck with each other. Hooray._  
  
“Understandable. Has your dad finished your suit yet?”  
  
“I think he’ll be done today. I’d be surprised if he wasn’t, actually. I’ve hardly seen him since he started working on it, aside from those early morning hours I spent helping him. He’s trying to create a new model that’s collapsible so I can have it with me all the time.”  
  
“More effective than pepper spray.”  
  
“While most parents invest in karate lessons my dad builds suits that the federal government likes to try to confiscate. I can’t wait to have fucking lasers coming out of my hands!” she squeaked. “I mean…I can’t wait to use the suit responsibly and only fire when absolutely necessary. Screw it, it’s always necessary to fire.”

“I just hope your dad doesn’t get any legal trouble for giving a suit to a teenager. Senator Stern gave him a hard enough time having his own. Are you ready to head home? I promise I won’t tell on you playing hookey.” Danielle shook her head as she finished her slushie. “No, I didn’t get a chance to go to the bookstore,” she whined, lower lip quivering, then suddenly scrunched her face. “Ow, damn it, brain freeze…Ow…”  
  
“Alright you nerd. I’ll peruse until you’re done. Call me, okay?” She nodded and got up from the table, grabbing her bags and eagerly combing through the crowds, en route to the bookstore. She weaved her way through various aisles as she made her way towards the new releases section. She meandered down the aisle grabbing the occasional book to read the back synopsis and critical reviews or to examine the illustrations inside. Completely oblivious to the world around her as she became lost in the prologue of a horror novel by a budding writer she had become partial to, a heavy thump in her chest and an even heavier one on her foot when she dropped the book brought her back to reality after an uncomfortably familiar voice spoke to her.  
  
“We really need to stop meeting like this,” it said coolly, coming from her right. Gulping, she bent down to pick up the book and turned her head slowly. “Are you fucking stalking me?!” she hissed, breathing heavily. She felt slightly less anxious being in a public setting and surrounded by people, but the anxiety was inevitable regardless.  Loki flashed her his trademark smile and she shuddered slightly. “If I were following you, don’t you think I would be a bit more discrete about it?”  She began leafing through the book to find the page where she had left off on. “Considering you have nothing to lose courtesy of the protection offered by my decision to be an idiot and not say a word about ‘making your acquaintance’, ya really don’t need to be,” she snapped. “Then what are you doing here?” She glanced up at him and then returned her attention to the book.  
  
“The same as you it would appear,” he replied, green eyes carefully scanning the selection before them.

“This is so fucking weird,” she grumbled.  
  
“What’s so strange about encountering an English teacher in a bookstore?”  
  
“It’s fucking weird encountering any teacher anywhere outside of school,” she replied. “Because then they become people. People with lives and identities, and it makes it harder to dislike them.” Chuckling softly he replied, “Yet you judge me for generalizing about the whole of your race. My, the hypocrisy.”  
  
“And this is the part where I do something I should’ve already been doing and ignore you.” _Book in hand, book in hand, focus on the book in hand, I can’t focus on the book in my hands._ She snapped it shut and turned to him. “Once you’ve learned your lesson and become a good little boy again how are you going get back?”  
  
“Are you really that eager to be rid of me? And here I thought we were bonding.” She faked a gag. “Ew, gross. Down here we have a saying that goes, ‘If you don’t have anything un-creepy to say, don’t say anything at all’.”  
  
“I’m fairly certain that’s not how it goes…”  
  
“How would you know? You’re no expert on Midgard. Am I just going to have to accept that you’ll be antagonizing and annoying me all the time?”  
  
“Seeing as I can’t kill you-”  
  
“A ‘yes’ would have been sufficient enough,” she said quickly, voice shaky. _Powerless or not he looks and acts like one of the most relaxed and docile ‘super villains’ ever. Not excessively belligerent and grandiose like the Red Skull or Vanko. Somehow that makes him seem even more threatening. AWESOME.  This is so awesome.  So...very...awesome...Fuck._  
  
“To answer your question I don’t know. The Tesseract is still in Asgard so I would assume that ‘once I’ve learned my lesson and become a good little boy’, Odin will use it to retrieve me.”  
  
“Assuming he’s awake,” she added, flipping the book over to check the price. His head jerked in surprise. “What?”  
  
“Dude’s in the deep sleep according to Thor.”  Her eyes widened. _…was that supposed to be a secret?..._  
  
“That’s rather inconvenient.”  
  
“Surprised they didn’t tell you,” she replied nervously. _Because they probably had a reason. Shit!_  
  
“I’m not. They probably wanted me to believe he was watching me.”  
  
“To keep you in line? Well no need. I have that job now, remember?” Her pathetic attempt at inserting comic relief did nothing to ease her nerves but as she paused her eyes became distant, then widened in realization. “You took my advice. That’s why you’re here,” she realized. “I’m definitely taking all the credit for you regaining your moral character."  
  
“I’m sure your parents would be very proud.  Though that would involve revealing your secret, wouldn’t it?” As if on cue Danielle’s cell phone starting playing Shoot to Thrill. She pulled it out of her pocket and flipped it open. “Hey dad.” She turned her back to Loki, which felt like a bad idea despite the safety the public setting had to offer. “What’s up?”  
  
“Happy called and said Pepper took you to the mall after school. Still there?”  
  
 _Damn it Happy. At least he said we went **after** school._ “Yeah, but I’ll probably be leaving soon.”  
  
“Not if you’re where I think you are.”  
  
“Yes, I’m in the bookstore, but I found something already so I’m set to go.” _And get the hell away from Loki_.  
  
“Well hurry it up kiddo ‘cause I’ve got a surprise for you.” With a giddy grin she whispered excitedly, “Is it done?!”  
  
“Done being built, yes. But you always conduct a test drive before buying a car. And this suit will only work on you, so I need you here to make sure it works.  I designed it to synchronize with the techno-organic material in your body. That way when you get drunk at your birthday party and don a newer model you won’t have to worry about your friends stealing any older models to fight you.”  
  
“I don’t think I take after you that much…But it is pretty cool that only I can use it. And any of yours,” she smirked.  
  
“Which I still think you did intentionally. Get back home as soon as you can so we can take this baby for a spin, alright?”  
  
“Sure. Does it have a name?”  
  
“Yeah, Iron Girl. I’m kidding. It’s called the DIGITAL Model 1. Stands for “Dani Is Gonna Immediately and Totally Annihilate Loki”. Very appropriate if I do say so myself.”  
  
“Yeah…” She briefly glanced over her shoulder and saw he was gone. “Very appropriate.”

* * *

  
 **The Lab**  
  
  
“Alright, do it just like you practiced when you were three months old,” Tony commanded, standing behind his work table. Danielle shot him a scowl as she approached the suit to inspect it up close. As per her request it had a purple and silver color scheme instead of red and gold. It was shorter and had more curvature to fit her feminine form. She ran her fingers along the cold metal of the face plate and whistled. “I can’t believe what I’m seeing,” she breathed. “I finally have my own suit!”  
  
“I made a pinkie promise. And I take pinkie promises very seriously.”  
  
“That’s because I would throw a temper tantrum whenever you didn’t,” she laughed and slowly backed up, eyes on the armor. “I conditioned you.”  
  
“Teenagers…One piece at a time, okay? I need to be able to check every inch of it for even the slightest mistake. That’s a lot harder to do when it all flies on you at once. Especially if the entire thing is defective.”  
  
“That's a comforting thought.  Can I test the repulsors too?!”  
  
“First let’s see if it fits. J.A.R.V.I.S., we need some kind of mood music going.”  
  
“Sir, Steve is requesting entrance to the lab to watch the test. And to make sure no one is killed during the test.”  
  
“Let the doting mother in,” he replied and the doors opened. Steve walked up to Tony’s side and folded his arms over his chest. “Don’t mind me,” he said with a smile. Tony put his hands on hips and rolled his shoulders. “You don’t trust me, do you?” he asked slightly sounding offended, but jokingly so. He was all too familiar with the risks accompanied by owning and wearing the suits.  
  
“I just wanted to watch Dani’s first time suiting up. It has nothing to do with trust. That’s not to say I do though.”  
  
“Fine, but no backseat driving. Ready Dani?”  
  
“As soon as you two stop bickering.”  _My parents are so ridiculous...Wouldn't have it any other way._   She giggled quietly and shook her head.  
  
“Ready Steve? That’s it! J.A.R.V.I.S., play Ballroom Blitz.” As the music began Danielle slowly lifted her right arm and took a deep breath. The suit started to tremble and the right hand propelled itself forward, attaching to her body, the forearm and upper arm trailing behind. She looked down at her arm and twisted it around, getting a feel for wearing it. “Anything wrong with it dad?”  She looked over her shoulder.  
  
“Not that I saw. Keep going. Other arm, legs, torso, and then head.”  
  
“How do I make the torso attach?”  
  
“It’s like doing the Hokey Pokey.”  
  
“You’re kidding, right?” She raised the left arm and the armor latched on to her, then flexed the fingers of both hands. He snickered. “Yes, I’m kidding, you don’t need to pelvic thrust to get the suit on. It’s almost like telekinesis. Remember it responds to your body, not a remote control. You don’t even need to lift your arms like that. If you did and you were in a situation where your mobility was compromised the suit wouldn’t work, you would be screwed. So even after you become paralyzed from a traumatic injury received in combat you can still maneuver the suit to blow shit up.” Steve elbowed Tony. “Or not. You could just be paralyzed and not blow things up ever again because your father doesn’t want you to have any fun.”  
  
“I don’t want to think about her sustaining a traumatic injury,” the blond corrected. “Ignore us Dani.”  
  
“Trying to!” She took another deep breath and focused on the legs of the suit, which flew towards her and built up around her body. The chest plate attached and connected with the back . She coughed a little as she adjusted to breathing with the suit on.  
  
“It’s not too tight is it?” Tony rested his elbows on the table. She shook her head. “No, just caught off guard by being sandwhiched like that,” she replied as her body acclimated.  
  
“Good. The head is the trickiest. Face plates like to bitch slap you so it might sting a little bit. Forewarning.” She nodded and braced herself. She closed her eyes as the last piece attached and after it was one she slowly opened one. Inside the helmet were scanners and screens assessing her environment, gauges measuring the power level and some of her vitals to monitor her first few minutes inside. The sound of her own breathing echoed into her ears, reminding her of Darth Vader.  
  
“Success!” Tony cried throwing his arms in the air. “Comfortable?”  
  
“Yeah. It’s not too heavy, I can breathe just fine, and the back support is amazing.”  
  
“Try moving around,” Steve suggested with a proud smile. “Yeah, work the catwalk!” Tony encouraged. She laughed as she turned around to face them. Her movement was choppy as first, as if wading through water at waist level, but she quickly adjusted. Arms up with her elbows bent she asked, “How do I look?”  
  
“Incredible.” Tony pulled up a digital screen mid-air to check the suit’s functioning. “And everything seems to be running smoothly.” Steve nodded in approval. “I doubt you’ll need to rely on it once I start training you, but it’ll serve as adequate backup if you ever need it.”  
  
“Why are you being a player hater?”  
  
“Knock it off you two,” she scolded with a sigh. “You make everything a competition. Uncle Clint said you two had to flip a coin to decide what my last name would be.”  
  
“And he cheated,” Tony said pointing accusingly. “It was a double-sided coin.”  
  
“For the hundredth time, no it wasn’t.”  
  
“Then how else did you win?”  
  
She put her head in her metallic palm and laughed softly. “You guys are idiots.” She switched the channel to communicate strictly with the AI. “J.A.R.V.I.S., can you start tasering them every time they do this?”  
  
“I’ll see what I can do. Welcome aboard, Danielle. Would you like to test the weaponry?”  The interface switched to combat mode and her eyes widened.  "Whoa..." she breathed.  “Hell yes I would! Does DIGITAL 1 have rocket launchers?”  
  
“Your father was adamant that you not have any.”  
  
“Didn’t trust dad to include them, did he?”  
  
“He didn’t trust you wielding them.”  
  
“…that’s probably for the best.” She switched back to the main line. “Can I blow things up now? Please, please, please?” she begged, hands folded together.  
  
“You know one of the best things about that suit? I can’t fall victim to your pouting. But yes, we do need to check that. J.A.R.V.I.S., bring up the practice targets.” The wall holding the old Mark models flipped each individual panel over revealing mechanical reindeer. Danielle burst out laughing, hands on her knees.  
  
“Really Tony?” Steve asked amused but still raising an eyebrow. “Why not models of Loki?”  
  
“I’d rather watch her shoot the real thing,” he replied with a pleased grin.


	9. Oops

The repulsor rays were functional but lost power quickly and required a bit of tinkering. The flight ability would be tested over the weekend when they had more time. Danielle spent the rest of the evening trying to do her homework. It was difficult to work on an essay due in a few days knowing that Loki would be the one to read and grade it. Her fingers sat idly on her keyboard and she stared at the empty Word Document in front of her. They had been reading _Catcher in the Rye_ for the past week and were supposed to write a personal narrative similar to the experiences of the narrator in his attempts to resist maturing and living in the adult world. Danielle had plenty of ideas and experiences she could draw from but she wasn’t very comfortable with others, especially Loki, knowing about them. Growing up in a home of super heroes with two ‘superdads’ sometimes made her feel that the adult world was the only world and her entire life was a resistance to it as there was hardly anything childlike or innocent about it, even in her younger years.  
  
She closed her laptop and dropped her forehead onto her desk, heaving a sigh. “What am I doing?” she muttered to herself. “What in the fuck am I doing?” She lazily lifted her head. “Hey J.A.R.V.I.S., can you do me a favor?”  
  
“What do you need Danielle?”  
  
“Find Uncle Thor and ask him to come to my room if he’s not busy.”  
  
“Right away.”  
  
“Thanks,” she said as she pushed back her desk chair and turned it around to face her window. Nothing could ruin the beauty of view at evening, not even having Loki’s presence secretly become a part of her day-to-day routine. She glanced towards the open doorway when she heard heavy footsteps approach.  
  
“The Voice With No Body said you requested my presence.” She nodded as he came in and turned the chair towards him. “Yeah, I just have a question. Remember how my father made that comment about Loki not being able to return to Asgard if Odin is still in the Odinsleep? Does he even know about it? The sleep, I mean.”  
  
“I would not know,” he replied eying her almost suspiciously. “Why do you ask?”  
  
“I was just curious. I wasn’t sure if his knowing made a difference or not, and the comment had me wondering. Did Odin send him here?” Thor nodded. “He entered the Odinsleep immediately after. He had been fighting it until Loki’s sentence had ended. The bridge is almost completely repaired now, so perhaps he will be able to use it to return. It was used to travel to other realms not long before your birth, but it has since been damaged again from numerous and consistent attempts at making use of it. It is difficult to completely sustain it in its current state.”  
  
“I see.”  
  
“Are you worried by his presence?”  
  
“Sort of,” she said, mouth curving to the side. “I just don’t know what to expect. He’s powerless but at the same time he’s not since words are his weapon.” _And they made him an English teacher? I wonder if he’s been set up to fail…_ “You know him best, sorta. Do you think he’ll change? Honestly?”  
  
“Perhaps, but you may not live to see it. Because it could take so long, not because he would kill you, of course,” he added quickly when she became visibly pale.  
  
“Heh. Of course.” She brushed it off with a nervous laugh. “So what would it take? What’s his problem anyway? All I ever hear is that he’s evil, he can’t be trusted, he hates humans, blah blah blah. You've told me the history, how it all played out, but not the reasons behind it.  But what’s the story?  What pushed him to do what he did?”  _If I have to be around the guy and try to...keep him out of trouble...or something like that, knowing the context of what I'm up against might help._  
  
“The story? His motivation? At the very root, jealousy and feeling inferior. He does what he does to try and prove superiority over others, but to whom he feels he must prove it to…I wonder.” He folded his arms over his chest, eyes downcast in careful reflection.  
  
“Whether or not it’s other people or himself?” she asked quietly, Thor's discomfort with discussing the sensitive subject becoming increasingly visible.  
  
“Exactly. Everything changed when he learned of his origins. He had always wanted to prove himself capable to our father, and when he failed at that he wanted to prove himself strong enough to conquer an entire realm which he saw as beneath him.  Others will argue with me but his heart was in the right place.  He thought conquering would bring peace.”  
  
“A reflection of inner turmoil perhaps?  That’s really interesting, actually.” She rested an elbow on her desk, drumming her fingers as she conjured up the words to adequately express the idea that had just struck her. “There’s this book I love called _Demian_ ,” she began, “and in it there’s a line which goes 'If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us'. If it’s 'cause he feels inferior and thinks lowly of himself, and is subsequently trying to prove his capability to himself, it makes perfect sense that he would try to rule humans because as a God we’re ‘inferior’ to him. He’s projecting all of his insecurities onto humans. We remind him of that self-loathing and deprecating self-image he has.  And the whole 'creating freedom through control' thing...He probably still feels imprisoned, especially here on Midgard, and he probably feels like he has no control over his life.  I mean, he tried to destroy Jotunnheim, right?  Maybe that was because he hated himself so much after learning he is jotunn that he needed to destroy the reminder, as if that would 'conquer' that part of him.  Do it for the sake of Asgard, he 'becomes Asgardian'.”  She shrugged.  "That was just stream of consciousness though.  I'm no psychologist or mind reader.  I'm just a reader, and I think all the exposure to different characters and perspectives and settings has given me...an insight if you will?  Putting pieces together when it comes to how people think.  Thoughts on my theory?"  
  
“Yes, that does make sense,” he replied nodding slowly. “It seems you are the only one here who doesn't immediately vilify him, despite what you know.  You are the first to ask his story, and the first to try and consider the cause, not assess the outcome.  I wonder if your words were to reach him he might...Never mind that.  But do believe me when I say that you have very little to fear. As it stands you would pose far greater a threat than he, should you choose to walk that path.” She chuckled. “Ya think so? Considering what I got from my parents I guess that’s true. And soon I’ll be flyin’ with the best of ‘em. I’m guessing no one’s had any luck locating him yet?”  
  
“Not yet but we’re doing all we can. I fear it will lead to confrontation which will interfere with his test.”  
  
“Same here. And the longer it gets drawn out the more frustrated he would become…causing it to be drawn out even more. That would really suck for him.  And us.  All of us.”  _Yes, all of us.  Not just him._  
  
“I must inquire as to why are you expressing such concern over him.  It is...not what I would have expected from the child of a man who suffered great mental trauma at his hands.”  
  
 _Yeah Dani, why are you so damn concerned? Wasn’t saying ‘good luck’ enough? Do you really need to talk it out with Uncle Thor?_ “That’s a good question. I don’t really know why.” Her shoulders dropped at her sudden realization. “Maybe…maybe I’m subconsciously empathizing because of all the shit I used to get for being a ‘test tube baby’. Not the same as being a completely different race which is despised, but some still see me as ‘unnatural’ because of how I was born. People were so quick to criticize instead of recognize the scientific genius behind my birth…hatching…breach…whatever it was.”  
  
“People are quick to criticize the unfamiliar because they fear it. Once this world is no longer alien to him perhaps he may finally be able to rid himself of his prejudice towards it and its inhabitants. And himself as well. Perhaps the things in himself which disturb him most he has never been able to make peace with because he could not find them in Asgard.”

"Perhaps.  Here's hoping, for everyone's sakes."  A knock on her door caught their attention.  "It's open," she called and Steve poked his head in.  "You're not busy right now, are you Dani?"  He looked back and forth between her and Thor.  She shook her head.  "Not really, no.  Why?"

"The punching bags are up.  Time to start working on your jabs."

"Did you stock up on Gatorade like I asked?"  She rose and stretched her arms.  He nodded.  "Though I doubt it'll do you much good, I did.  I take it you two were talking about Loki?"  He turned to Thor who nodded.  "Yes.  Just quelling some tension."

 _Yeah, that's what we'll call it_ , she thought to herself.  _Quelling the initial tension only to create more.  What if I am right?  Then...we have something in common...Awkward._   "Thanks for all that," she said to Thor, then turned to her father.  "I'm gonna change into my workout clothes.  Meet you down there?"

"Be quick about it."

"Yeah, yeah."  Both men left and the door closed behind them.  Danielle folded her arms over her chest.  "Loki said Uncle Thor mentioned things about me.  So he must know about how I was born.  I wonder if maybe he thinks we might have something in common?  Doubt it."  She shook her head and began to rummage through her closet for her workout attire.  "Probably wouldn't understand the context, how I'm 'unnatural'.  I almost feel sorry for him...The old him anyway, before he lost a few screws and turned genocide and tyranny into a pasttime.  Well, whatever.  He's on his own.  All I can do is look out for myself and hope all goes well for him."  She tossed her shirt aside and slipped into a tank top.  "But he doesn't even know what he's doing.  That much was obvious.  Is this about a second chance and a fresh start, or full-blown redemption?  Doubt he even knows.  And why the frick was I a topic of conversation while he was in prison?  Weren't they too busy fighting Malekith or whatever his name was?  How did I ever come up in conversation?"  She sighed and slipped into her running shorts.  "I'm thinking about this too much."

* * *

**That Weekend**

Knowing the bare minimum potential of the SSS, Steve tiered his training plans for Danielle accordingly leaving the girl in what felt like a perpetual state of muscle aches and stiffness.  She had already burst open a few punching bags, clocked approximately twenty-seven hours of training, and accompanied Clint on a Friday night Loki patrol (helping him deal with some petty crime in the process).  All in all she was proving to be a quick study but there was no denying the girl both earned and needed a break.  It took a little convincing to bring Steve out of 'drill sergeant mode' and back to 'sensei mode', as Tony had put it, so after a short eight mile jog on Saturday morning Steve treated her to Starbucks.  Danielle developed an affinity for black and bitter coffee after all the time she had spent working with her dad in the lab but enjoyed the occasional latte, cappuccino, or other 'caffeine perversion' (another Tony-ism).

There was a Starbucks in walking distance from the tower and after going back to shower and change so as not to be noticed by the public, she stayed outside and waited while we he ordered for them to go.  She knew it was going to take awhile after the fans saw Captain America out and about and brought a book with her to kill time at one of the tables outside.  While she waited her heart almost skipped a beat when a familiar figure walked by, completely ignorant of her presence, and into the restaurant where her father was still signing autographs and taking pictures.  She gulped and went visibly pale.

 _Shit.  Even with the swarming fans he'll see him!  Think, think, think...Oh damn it all._   She closed her book and tossed it into her shoulder bag, mentally cursing herself for both forgetting the page she left off on and the plan she was about to carry out.  Doing her best to hide her disgust when she saw everyone clamoring to get a piece of him, Danielle glanced out of the corner of her eye and tried not to smirk when she saw the deer-in-the-headlights expression on Loki's face.  Because of the swarming fans he was practically trapped in the building.  She watched as he came to the exit and right as he passed her she muttered in a tone low enough so that only he could hear, "Calm your shit.  Last I checked, going to Starbucks isn't a crime.  You're supposed to try and have a life while you're here, remember?  Even if you are turning into a miserable cliche.  So sit your ass back down and let me-"

"Cover for me?" he finished, half-surprised and half-mocking considering her original offer.  "Then you had best be quick about it before your father notices you speaking to me."

"Then you had best get out of my way," she mimicked.  "And you're welcome.  I hate the adoring public."  She brushed past him huffing in annoyance, more so at the situation and the fans than him.  He watched her carefully and curiously as she prepared to put on a show, slipping through the crowd and going up to the counter.

"I'm sorry about the commotion," she began as she pulled down her hood and took off her sunglasses.  "Honestly, I can't take this guy anywhere!" she laughed pointing at the fan-swarmed Steve with her thumb.  "Let's see, what did everyone want..."  She pulled out her phone.  "My turn to order for the team.  Could I please have a grande Hazelnut Macchiato for the Black Widow, a tall Cafè Misto for Hawkeye, a tall Salted Caramel Mocha with no whipped cream for Thor, a grande Cafè Americano for -you guessed it- the Captain over here, a short cappuccino made with soy for the Hulk -oh the irony-, a venti espresso for Iron Man, and...October means pumpkin so I'd like a grand Pumpkin Spice Latte?  With whipped cream, please."

"Oh my God, Danielle's here too!"

"Will you sign my napkin?  And my cup?"

"Can I get a picture with the two of you?"

She feigned an apologetic blush to the staff.  "Sorry again about all of this.  I'll redirect traffic so you guys can get back to work.  Just bring the order out when you get the chance, there's no rush.  There are people who've been waiting longer than us and the Avengers can wait," she said to the barista with a small smile and then turned to her father.  "Let's say we take this outside, hm?  More space, better lighting..."  Steve was very confused that Danielle would even step inside and risk being seen but he harkened it up to her impatience; one Avenger against a mob of fans could take well over an hour but with their efforts combined the time could be cut by a noteworthy fraction.  She pulled him along keeping his attention on the two of them and the fans, or rather away from Loki, who was currently wrestling with the notion of how anyone (even Thor) could find the combination of salt, caramel, and chocolate appealing.

* * *

**Two Weeks Later**

  
The DIGITAL Model 1 had its repulsors improved and proved itself able to fly without any hint of defection. Now it was Steve’s turn to help Danielle hone her skills. Through a combination of his own military experiences and utilization of the training room in the mansion she found herself running through obstacle courses, waking up early for drills which went for hours on end, exercises to build muscle mass, exercises to build stamina, and most importantly exercises to build mental tenacity. Serum or no serum her greatest asset would be her attitude and state of mind, a point Steve kept driving into her head like a sledgehammer on a thumbtack.  As he anticipated her body, much like her mind, developed at an unusually fast pace.  She was by no means as strong or fast as him but she was more nimble and flexible and rather adept at dodging, no doubt something she had picked up while practicing with her suit.  
  
Once Steve felt Danielle was ready and he himself comfortable with the idea, it was time for the two to enter the ring in a hand-to-hand match. He knew going easy on her would yield no desirable results nor provide advantageous opportunities for her to develop her skills he couldn’t help but feel nervous about taking on his own child in a match, knowing full-well what he was capable of. Having a full audience didn’t help his growing performance anxiety.  
  
“You haven’t even touched him and he’s already cowering in fear over there,” Natasha said nodding to the other side of the ring as she helped Danielle tie her wraps around her carpals and metacarpals. “He must really be afraid that he might seriously damage you.” She grinned and pressed her fists together, cracking her knuckles. “Good. That means I can catch him off guard.” The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent chuckled at her eagerness. “He does possess rather potent reflexes, you know.”  
  
“Well we’ll see just how potent they are, won’t we?” she replied before popping in her mouth guard. Natasha merely shook her head with a grin and climbed from between the ropes, dropping down to the ground below to join the rest of the audience across the room. Hardly to anyone’s surprise Clint actually brought popcorn for ‘the evening’s entertainment’.  
  
As Natasha leaned with her back to the wall, a leg bent with her foot resting against it, she said to the others, “You boys haven’t started making bets without me, have you? I’ll put it all on Dani and say that she’ll have him on the ground in…ten minutes.”  
  
“Nat, you’re crazy,” Clint snickered between handfuls of popcorn. “Steve is kicking her ass. She’s in over her head. She decided to challenge him, and she’s going to learn the hard way that she isn’t ready for that yet. Steve will come out on top. Not even five minutes.  A friendly cage match I could see but this...Kid's bit off more than she can chew.”  
  
“I truly think it’s a tossup,” Bruce shrugged. “From what little I’ve seen of the both of them since her training began, she seems to be quite close if not equal to him.  Not in speed or strength, yet, but she dash and dodge fairly well.”  
  
“After a week and a half? No way.”  
  
“Clint, keep it down or she’ll come over here and snap your neck,” Natasha joked in that casually macabre way only she was capable of pulling off. She turned to Thor. “Who do you think is going to win?”  
  
“It’s hard to say…” He rubbed his chin in contemplation. “But I would not be surprised if the little one were the victor.”  
  
“And you Tony? Or are you not picking sides?”  
  
“I’m picking the side of the winner.”  
  
“You’ll pick a side when they’re done,” Clint concluded.  
  
“And why shouldn’t I? If I pick wrong I could be forced to sleep on the couch, or put up with a temper tantrum. Not to mention the gloating…” Thor suppressed a laugh when he remembered the quote Danielle shared with him about only being disturbed by the things which remind us of ourselves after hearing Tony’s disdain for having to listen to his daughter’s occasional arrogance.

"And you don't think this is a little...much?" Bruce asked him.  Tony shrugged.  "The hell do I know about physical training?  This was something those two decided upon.  Steve wouldn't go into the ring with his own daughter if he didn't think she was capable of holding her own."  
  
“Alright Dani,” Steve begun before putting in his mouth piece, “I don’t want you to have to feel like you need to hold back. Show me that all this training we’ve been doing has paid off.”  
  
“‘At wahza pahn (That was the plan),” she replied, giggling at how ridiculous she sounded as she talked with the mouth piece in. “Good. But don’t think I’m going to give you a handicap either.”  Naturally Steve was going to hold back some, but only so much so that he and Danielle would be on equal footing.  
  
“Ooh be’uh nahg (You better not)!” She balled her fists at her sides and frowned, slightly offended that he might even consider it then re-assumed her stance. He nodded and put his mouth piece in.  
  
“Go Dani!” Natasha shouted, cupping her mouth. “Show your old man who’s boss!”  
  
“You can take her Steve! She’s just a little runt!” Clint yelled before throwing another handful of popcorn in his mouth. They both did their best to drown out all noises, all distractions beyond the ring to focus on the challenge.

* * *

  
 **Steve and Tony’s Room**  
  
  
“It’s just a small injury, I’m fine. Really. I heal very quickly.”  
  
“It’s just a small injury in your rib cage. I don’t know if I should ground that girl or raise her allowance. Damn it Steve, hold still so I put the antiseptic on that cut.”  
  
“Um, I am right here you know…And I don't get an allowance, for the record.”  
  
Steve looked in the doorway where Danielle was leaning against the frame, one leg folded over the other and her hands shoved in her pockets. Her ponytail was a royal mess and her face was flushed, glistening with sweat. “You won’t be grounded,” he assured her, wincing as Tony accidentally used too much of the antiseptic spray to treat the cut on his upper arm. “You did everything you were supposed to, and I’m proud of you.”  
  
“Thanks father. I do feel a little bad about the fractured rib though…”  
  
He shook his head and tried swatting Tony away. “It's not an actual fracture, just a little bruising.  I’m fine. I can hardly feel it anymore.”  
  
“If I were you Dani, I would be more concerned with the bruise on your forearm.” Tony turned to her. “You can tell just by looking at it that it came from a punch and I’m sure the last thing any of us want to deal with are allegations of child abuse.”  
  
“Yeah, you aren’t very popular amongst the folks in the legal system, huh? I’ll keep it covered until it goes away. And it seems to be fading already actually.” She inspected the dark purple swollen spot. “Relatively speaking, I mean. Yay Super Soldier Serum! Granted I never received an actual injection so I won’t heal as quickly as you. And it might make things a little difficult seeing as I’m right handed. I’ll go ice it. So I’m not in trouble then? You’re sure?”  
  
“Keep asking and I might change my mind.”  
  
“You even try to ground me and I’ll ask J.A.R.V.I.S to do his HAL 9000 impression again.” She smirked, knowing how paranoid that movie made her dad considering he himself lived with an AI system.  
  
“J.A.R.V.I.S., don’t you dare listen to her!” Tony threatened pointing at the air.  
  
“I’m sorry Tony, I’m afraid I can’t do that,” the AI replied as Danielle walked off laughing, muttering something to herself about having J.A.R.V.I.S. “wrapped around her finger”. Tony cursed under his breath and returned his attention to Steve. “ _Now_ she’s grounded.”  
  
“Look Tony, I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.”  
  
“Shut up J.A.R.V.I.S.!”  
  
“Speaking of things which annoy her, did you tell her about that letter?” He could feel the fracture slowly repairing itself more and more by the second and his cuts closing quickly.  
  
“Shit, I forgot,” he replied scratching the back of his head. “I’ve been too busy fixing DIGITAL Model 1. But she must know already. It’s this week, after all. But if she forgot as well-”  
  
“It can only be attributable to human error.”  
  
“Right, what HAL- J.A.R.V.I.S. said. I’ll remind her about parent-teacher conferences later.”

* * *

  
 **Natasha’s Room**  
  
  
“Seventy, eighty, ninety, one-hundred.” Clint counted out the bills and handed them to Natasha. “There, seventy for the win and thirty for doing so in under ten minutes. Remind me never to piss her off.” Natasha snickered as she took the money. “While I’m here can I talk to you about something?”  
  
“Sure,” she replied casually as she sat at her desk chair, elbows resting on her knees. “What’s on your mind?”  
  
“I think…we need to talk about us.”  
  
“What about us?” She raised an eyebrow curiously. He rolled his eyes. “Come on Nat, don’t pretend you don’t know what’s going on. What’s been going on.”  
  
“I’m not pretending,” she insisted. “What’s been going on?”  
  
“This thing between us. You know as well as I do that-”  
  
“Hold on.” She made the time out symbol with her hands. “Clint, there’s nothing between us.”  
  
“Nothing between…? What? How can you say that? Come on, you’re kidding. Please tell me you’re kidding.” He almost sounded desperate. She shook her head, looking away to avoid the pained expression on his face. “I can say that I love you, but not that I’m in love with you…if that helps at all.”  
  
“That doesn’t make any sense!”  
  
“Of course it does,” she replied straightening her back. “Just as I love Dani, but I’m certainly not in love with her.”  
  
“That’s different. She’s family.”  
  
“And so are you. To me, at least. Intimate? Yes. Romantic? No. Platonic. It’s a platonic intimacy.”  
  
He became very quiet, eyes downcast. “Is there someone else?” he asked slowly. She shook her head. “Not at the moment, though that could change. Would you believe me if I said it’s not you but it's me, despite how cliché that sounds?”  
  
“How so?”  
  
“I…” She rested her forearms on her legs and leaned forward, fingers fumbling nervously. “I’m not attracted to you because I’m not attracted to men. I never have been.”


	10. Walking on Broken Eggshells

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loki's human name is mentioned in passing here. AND IT'S SUPER ORIGINAL not really.
> 
> Oh yeah, allusion to a Norse myth. Context- http://ancienthistory.about.com/b/2009/11/30/myth-monday-surprise.htm

_How could I forget? Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot!_ Danielle mentally scolded herself, leg bouncing as she sat through English. She focused as best she could, almost breaking into a nervous sweat as she kept glancing at the clock on thirty second intervals. When it finally rang she visibly jumped, heart pounding harder than Mjolnir ever could. She caught her breath and waited for the room to empty. “You, a word, now,” Danielle demanded as she marched up to Loki’s desk after the bell rang.  
  
“What can I do for you Danielle?” he asked pretending to be interested in whatever her concern was. She pointed at him. “You might wanna call in sick tonight because, just my luck, for the first time in five years my parents are both able to come to parent-teacher conferences. Unless you somehow manage to get your power back before 5 PM tonight, alter your appearance, and possess everyone into thinking that’s how you’ve looked this entire time, don’t come.”  
  
“Your tone makes it difficult to tell if that’s a threat or friendly advice.” He leaned back in his chair. She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. But I could easily see my dad shoving a metal fist down your throat and firing, repainting the walls with you and quite possibly blowing up some of the school in the process. Neither, really. A forewarning I guess?”  
  
“I have no intention of redecorating this building. But what could they do to me? As far as the rest of the world is concerned I’m an innocent civilian. It would reflect rather poorly on the already polarizing public image of Anthony Stark, wouldn’t it? That sounds like a lot of fun, having the chance to get under their skin again.” She grit her teeth as he smirked, knowing that to a degree he was right. If they came and saw him they couldn’t assemble the Avengers in the middle of her high school, especially with Loki being stripped of his power and seeming to be completely harmless.  
  
“They’ll know where you are. They’ll know you’re around me. They’ll know the name of your human persona. You’d chance letting them access all that…just to fuck with them? Who am I kidding, of course you would.” She threw her arms up in the air. “I don’t know why I fucking bother to try and make this run smoothly, I really don’t. Maybe getting involved is making it more difficult. But for some reason which is _completely_ beyond my comprehension I feel some stupidly stupid stupidful compulsion to be involved regardless. And ya know what else? I sorta get the feeling that you wanna fuck this up because you can’t handle the thought of not having an excuse to blame the rest of the worlds and everyone in them for your problems anymore. It’s so much easier to be the problem child, to hide behind everything you’ve done and pretend you don’t give a fuck. And you’re so deep in that you’re too afraid to try and-” She stopped when he abruptly jumped up, hand inches away from her throat, which her breath had become trapped in.  
  
“You can’t even begin to fathom the amount of restraint required to keep myself from snapping your neck,” he hissed, squeezing the hand into a trembling fist. She forced a laugh and pushed it away. “The joys of being an innocent civilian are abundant indeed, aren’t they?”  As intimidating as he was, it was all in memory or concept.  The Loki she was dealing with at that moment in time wasn't the same Loki her family had seventeen years ago.  But as he sat back down and regained his composure she, for a split second, caught a glimpse of the Loki that she had heard horror stories about as a child. Just as she had accused him of being in too deep, she knew that she herself was becoming far too involved with something she didn’t have even the slightest connection to, and something that could easily escalate into a dangerous situation. She felt the only thing she had to lose at this point was her family’s trust should they ever find out. Aimlessly twirling her purple pendant with restless fingers she suddenly blurted out, “Uncle Thor agrees with me”, earning a glower. “In regards to what?” he asked through slightly grit teeth. Thor was one of the last people he wished to think of or talk about.  
  
“I asked him his thoughts on this whole arrangement. And he hopes they don’t find you for the same reasons as me. He wants you to have a chance and knows just as well as I do that isn’t likely to happen if the Avengers come a’ knockin’ on your door.”  
  
“Does he now?” he asked quite bitterly. “Do you know what that oaf’s greatest character flaw is?”  
  
“He always leaves the seat up?”  
  
“I’m sure he wishes me all the best because Odin isn’t awake to influence him to think otherwise. He’s like a dog, blindly obedient to his master. Even if it means turning on the ‘family’ he claims to care ever so deeply for.” He ended his emphatic rant and she started rocking back and forth on her heels. “You’re talking about the…” She pointed to the corner of her lips, referring to the visible scar on his own. “That.”  
  
“You know the story?” he asked somewhat surprised but still visibly tense, folding his arms over his chest. She nodded. “It was the first bedtime story he ever told me. Also the last. He doesn’t exactly have a very age appropriate repertoire for toddlers. That, and I got pissed off at him after he told me about it. Thought it was excessive, to say the least. I told him that you had a loophole and he had no right to go ahead and…do what he did. He said that when I was older I’d understand. It’s been thirteen years and I still don’t get it. Perhaps it’s just beyond my oh so limited mortal comprehension,” she said sarcastically.  "In all seriousness though, I got so pissed at him that I..."  Her abdomen trembled as she started to choke on her own laughter.  She put a finger.  "Give me a sec," she said through punctuated breaths.  She covered her mouth with her hands and fell into a massive giggle fit.

 _This...is the result of combining the makeup of a genius and soldier?_ he thought to himself as she turned bright red.  She fanned her face and breathed deeply.  "OK, I'm good.  Anyway, after he told me I threatened to smack him with Mjolnir.  He laughed it off and my four-year-old self didn't take too well to not being taken seriously.  So I actually tried and everyone nearly shit themselves when I managed to drag it across the floor a few inches.  He avoided me for the rest of the month because he was so terrified.  Holy hell, the look on his face when I did that...It was hilarious.  And my poor parents didn't know how to get me to sleep because I having a toddler temper tantrum _and_ I just man-handled mother fucking Mjolnir, which was pretty damn close to my height.  I swear, it seemed like everyone was afraid to come near me for those first few minutes afterward." 

Much to her surprise Loki looked genuinely amused.  "What a comforting thought, knowing that there exists someone to temporarily take my place as his tormentor," he grinned.  This time the look on his face didn't frighten her as much.  She shrugged.  "What can I say?  I love fucking with people, and I tend to do it without even trying most of the time."  _Oh shit, we're bonding aren't we?_ she thought with utmost disgust.  "So, yeah, um, okay.  Departure is nigh."  As she made her way to the door she visibly jumped when she heard him say her name.

"Danielle?"

"Yeah?" she asked looking over her shoulder.

"Do you think you possess the ability to lift it now?"

"The thought hadn't crossed my mind..."  She rubbed her chin.  "I'll give it a shot tonight.  It's been far too long since I've caused trouble just for the fuck of it at home."

"If you manage to, take a picture so I can see the look on his face."

"Naturally!  Something like needs to be immortalized.  Good suggestion."  _...I think I just forgot who I'm talking to.  Wait, no, there's something off about him.  No, no, not even that.  It's not off.  It's...different?  Is he different?  Holy shit...He hasn't threatened to kill me as often.  Whenever he antagonizes me it's more so banter than with malicious intent.  He's...changing._

"Anything to torment him," he said with a soft laugh.  She turned around and put her hands on her hips.  "I'm not doing it to torment him in your place," she spat.  "You merely get to reap the benefits of my efforts is all.  Fuck and a half, I'm collaborating with you now.  You're a little too good at being good at getting under people's skin, ya know that?"

"And I tend to do it most of the time without even trying," he mimicked.  She smacked her forehead.  "If I can lift and carry that thing I'm bitch slapping you with it.  Oh, before I go...I was wondering...How have you been doing?  This whole trial thing, I mean."

"I fail to see why that's any concern of yours," he replied, his tone taking a radical shift to icy and abrasive.

 _Not well I take it?  No, wait, but before he was...He can't accept that he's changing.  Or it's a front.  But I'm good at seeing through that!  Well maybe not with him...I don't know why I keep asking myself this since there's clearly no answer but WHAT AM I DOING?!_   "Well it's not, I was just wondering 'cause...I dunno...I did wish you 'good luck' didn't I?"

"You did.  And why you continue to pester me...I can't even begin to fathom your motivation."

"Concern, maybe, or something?  I don't know!  I just don't want this to get messy and I was hoping-"

"You honestly expect me to believe that you want to see me leave your miserable little world in a timely fashion because you're 'concerned' and hope I-?"  He paused when he saw the look in her eyes, a look which he had seen before but couldn't remember when or from whom.  If he had to guess it would either be Frigga or Thor.  "You just want to avoid being the catalyst for reuniting me with your family," he spat, actively ignoring the look.  He could feel her eyes burning into him and wished now more than ever before he had his powers again so he could render her blind.  With a loud, nervous gulp she replied, "If that were the case I would've called S.H.I.E.L.D.'s anonymous tip line."

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" he asked dismissively.  He only wanted Danielle around when he knew he could play with her head or derive brief amusement from something she had to say.

"Don't you?  Or are you starting to like it here?"  He slowly shifted his gaze back to her, and much to his surprise her fluctuating anxiety the look in her eyes hadn't faltered.  She had started to acclimate to his moodiness, his desire to maintain distance from her while still toying with her and making her nervous.  She was still undeniably nervous but not because of him.  She was nervous for him.  The last thing he wanted was pity or worse, compassion from a mortal.  At first Danielle's offer seemed like a buffer from Thor and a chance to get a little bit of vengeance at her expense but she knew his game, even if she didn't know all of his moves, and continued to throw herself on the front lines.  She was no idiot and she was undeniably stubborn but she had no true incentive to want this for him.  Knowing that only agitated him further; he wasn't a charity.

"Ya know, I think you're gonna pass this little test because you're clearly so in love with Earth that you're keeping up that front of yours just to stay here."  _What did I just say?  Where did that come from?  Fuck, fuck, FUCK._   She waited for his scathing remark which was less likely to faze her than it would have weeks ago but was taken aback by his response.

"It's certainly an entertaining and curious place.  Despite how irksome the natives can be at times."

"Why is it so difficult for you to accept that not everyone hates you and wants you to fuck this up and that, as bizarre as this is gonna sound, someone might actually wanna see you get through this?"

"Is that person you?" he asked, eyebrow cocked.  A little grin tugged her lips upward.  "Answering my question with a question?  Weak.  If you're really so sick of me, don't come tonight.  If my parents know you're around me you lose out of being able to keep getting under my skin and fucking with my head.  God, I hate that smug smirk of yours...Yes, you've been fucking with my head.  I'm sure hearing that makes you ecstatic."

"Beyond words."

"Then don't come or you risk losing that pastime."

"Why the obsession with being a sacrificial lamb Danielle?"  She closed the door behind her and sat back down.  She could easily fabricate an excuse for not attending her next class and he didn't have one until the period following.  Folding her hands behind her head she replied, "You are so frustrating, ya know that?  Keep changing the subject back to me.  I can't be that fascinating.  For someone so arrogant you really don't like talking about yourself or your circumstances."

"My circumstances?  You act as if you know all there is to know about my 'circumstances'."

"I like to think I know enough to confidently say that you are one of the most self-sabotaging people I've encountered.  You're changing.  Ya know that?  You are.  It's subtle and definitely not concrete...yet.  Probably because you're trying your damndest not to.  You'd rather be stuck here powerless and isolated from Asgard than accomplish this task and have to go back because of the judgment and what not that awaits you.  You're afraid of moving forward.  At least that's what it seems like.  And despite the little victories you just...you just can't handle it.  Why?  'Cause it won't secure you a throne?"  She curled her lips inwards when she saw his face go flush with rage.  But he was having difficulty putting together an argument considering she was right.  Not giving the chance to try and verbally overpower her she kept going, and he didn't bother stopping her.  The more she spoke the more ammunition she offered him.  "You're not as hard to figure out as you might like to think you are, as you might like to hope you are.  You've been watching me, taking all those oppurtunities to fuck with me whenever you could but I've been paying attention to you too.  You're miserable.  You're really miserable.  And no, I'm not one of those people that'll go out of my way for just anybody.  You caught my attention because of the situation.  And it's a shitty one.  Not entirely your fault the way I see it.  Bet ya weren't expecting that.  Go ahead and keep giving me a hard time, but just remember that I can easily do the same to you.  Just like I am now."

"Why?" he demanded.  She shrugged and rolled her eyes.  "Empathy to a degree I think.  Does it matter?  Do I need a reason?  And even if I had one, would it be good enough or would you just find a way to destroy any legitimacy it might have?  I don't know, OK?  I never did.  From the get go.  I don't know why I care, and I don't care why I care.  Is it putting me in a really fucked up position?  Yeah.  Are you a little unnerving sometimes?  Abso-fucking-lutely.  Is keeping this from my family hard?  Of course!  But I..."  She started losing her composure and words were failing her.  "I...I just...I can't even explain it.  Nope.  No words.  Like I said when we first spoke though, I don't believe in coincedence.  So maybe that's the reason.  Maybe it's preordained that I care because of the preordained outcome that'll result from my caring- Wow, that sounded really fucking stupid."  She leaned forward, resting her arms on the desk.  "Listen.  If you're gonna hear anything I have to say, just hear this.  I'm probably in the minority here, probably the only person...but whatever you think you are because of the stuff you've done...you're wrong.  Otherwise you would've already fucked up.  You're trying.  You have to be.  Or you wouldn't still be here, able to have this conversation with me."

"And I count my blessings every day for your guidance, Danielle."

"Good," she replied despite the fact that he was being brutally sarcastic.  "Fuck, I don't know what I'm still doing here.  I don't know why I'm doing any of this.  Not sure what more I have to do to make that clear.  But I can't stop.  The thought of- No!  There is no thought of.  It doesn't sound like an option.  So if you need to be pissed at anyone, I dunno, get pissed at the Norns or something.  Because this 'drive' isn't a drive at all.  It's just a path I can't step off of and I **DON'T** know why.  Am I lying?  You're the polygraph incarnate.  Tell me I'm lying."

"And give you the satisfaction of being correct?  I don't think so," he said and she fought a knowing grin.  He knew she wasn't and he just admitted it.  Even better, he didn't seem as frustrated with her anymore.  "To answer your question."  He waited for a moment and she perked up, giving him her full attention.  "I don't know how I'm doing.  I'm not overseeing it.  I don't know the criteria that must be met."

"I didn't mean the actual test itself, I meant you in the midst of.  How's...life?  Yeah, that's more so what I meant."

"...interesting, to say the least."

"And the most?"

"I'm terribly sorry but you've reached the limit of questions per day."  _She can't stop.  She's not lying.  She truly cannot stop this little crusade.  Fate has designed her to be...concerned?  Damn those eyes.  Even if her confidence has begun to crumble that expression has not._

* * *

  
 **That Evening**  
  
  
“Are you sure you wanna go?” Danielle asked for what seemed like the hundredth time as she slipped on her tennis shoes and went out the front door, Tony right behind her. “I mean, really, you’ve seen my report cards, so what’s the point?”  
  
“I’m starting to feel as though you’re embarrassed to be seen with me in public,” he joked. “And if you were I can’t really say I’d blame you. What’s taking Steve so damn long…?” He looked up at the tower impatiently. She put a hand on her hip. “If I had to guess he’s probably playing dress up because everything has to be a black tie affair.”  
  
“Well he has five minutes or we’re leaving without him.”  
  
“Why are you so anxious to get there?” she asked as she zipped up her hoodie.  
  
“I don’t remember the last time I was able to do a ‘normal parent’ thing for or with you. Can you blame me?” She twirled a finger in the air. “Can’t wait. Hey, did Uncle Clint seem a little…off to you at all today?”  
  
“Probably just moping because he lost the bet.”  
  
“Bet?...Were they betting on the fight? And he thought I would lose?! I’m gonna smash his face-” Her threat was interrupted by the ringing of Tony’s cell phone. He snorted in amusement after he took it out. “What fabulous timing, Dani and I were just talking about you. Oh, the usual, teenage hormones are making her irritable and she’s threatening to smash your face because you bet on Steve. So how’s the patrol going? You’re kidding. Explain to me why they call you Hawkeye and not Hellen Keller.” Danielle tried not to laugh at the distasteful joke as Steve finally came outside.  
  
“Took you long enough princess,” Tony remarked. “I gotta go Clint. Keep us posted. No, Dani isn’t actually going to attack you. At least I don’t think she is. You’ll have to ask her yourself. Later.” She braced herself for the painfully long car ride, which in actuality was a short distance but she felt as though they had embarked on a cross-country road trip. One leg was crossed over the other, the bottom leg bouncing, and she kept biting her nails, twirling her hair, and tapping her fingers on the open window.  
  
“What’s your deal?” Tony glanced at her through the mirror. She shook her head. “Nothing, I’m fine.”  
  
“I call bullshit.”  
  
“Nervous about being in public with us?” Steve asked looking over the car seat. “I can’t speak for both of us but I won’t try to attract attention if I can help it.”  
  
“No autographs?”  
  
“No autographs.” She stuck out her pinkie. “Prove it, father,” she demanded as they neared the school, her heart rate escalating. He locked his pinkie with hers. “I _guess_ I believe you.”  She briefly flashed a small smile.  
  
“And I won’t promise a damn thing because I’m a fame whore.”  
  
“Dad, shit’s different in high school. When I was a kid some people were so jealous that my parents are Iron Man and Captain America, and it was so amazing that I was born in a laboratory. Now…everyone has taken a bit of a one-eighty on all of that.” She folded her arms over her chest. “I can’t wait to graduate.”  
  
“You could finish early like I did. Hasn’t your advisor talked to you about that a few times?”  
  
“I don’t want to. I don’t want to be thrown into the adult world any quicker or deeper than I already have been. I barely had a childhood. I’m trying to keep things as close to normalcy as possible.” She huffed and sank back into her seat.   _I can't wait to screw with Thor after this._ Her parents exchanged surprised and confused looks as they pulled up to the school, while Danielle began formulating ideas for her essay on resisting the adult world. She had never verbalized this sort of discontent before. She got out of the car, pushing her way through the people that were beginning to crowd to avoid the inevitable scene that their presence would cause. As annoying as it was it gave her ample time to seek out Loki, or rather put his anxiety to rest and confirm he wasn’t there. She was surprised that the sounds behind her, where the crowd was gathering around her famous parents, sounded more like fans than an angry mob armed with pitchforks. She glanced over her shoulder to approximate the distance between them and accidentally walked straight into someone.  
  
“Ow,” she muttered, rubbing her nose as she looked to see who she bumped into. “Oh, hey, hi. Sorry about that.” The girl whose name she could never remember brushed it off with a smile. “Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t really paying attention either. I, um…” She pivoted a foot on the floor and said sheepishly, “I was actually on my way to go ask your dad for an autograph. I’m a big Iron Man fan.”  
  
“You and everyone else on the planet, save for every politician, terrorist, and rival businessperson,” she replied with a slight grin. Danielle pointed around the corner of the hallway. “Did you just come from the English room?” She nodded. “My parents are wrapping up their meeting with Mr. Hiddleston. I didn’t see anyone else over there so you might be able to reserve a spot. Then again…” She looked at the crowd at the end of the hall where Tony was signing autographs and taking pictures while Steve was doing his best to politely refrain. Even without any promises made to his daughter, he had never been one for the limelight, minus the occasional invitation by a major news station to be featured as a guest political commentator. “You may be waiting awhile.”  
  
“Used to it. Well don’t let me keep you from unleashing your inner fan girl.” She nodded over her shoulder. “Go get his autograph.”  
  
“Would it be weird if I said your parents are kind of attractive?” she asked with a slight blush. Danielle snorted and quickly shook her head. “Believe me, that is one of the tamest things I’ve heard people say about them. Especially my dad. There’ve been times I’ve encountered his ex girlfriends and one night stands in public, and they’ve told me things that probably warrant psychotherapy. Ten-year-olds shouldn’t be told how good their dad is in bed. Or anything related to length and girth. But hey, that’s just me, I can’t keep speak for every ten-year-old.” The other girl laughed. “Wow. That is really awkward. Well I’ll see you in class tomorrow,” she said with a perky smile as she waved goodbye before walking away. Danielle continued to her destination, unable shake a strange feeling that girl suddenly gave her. When she finally reached the room Loki was there looking as professional and patient as one would expect from an actor such as himself. She closed the door behind herself and leaned against it, mouth agape.  
  
“You gotta be fucking kidding me. You actually came. You’re right, my parents can’t do a damn thing to you here. But if they know anything at all about your human identity you can easily be tracked, and ya know who can do something then? EVERYONE ELSE.”  
  
He dropped his forehead into his palm. “Why are you still doing this? What do you gain?” he snapped, looking up at her. She shrugged, ignoring his venomous tone. “Nothing. It’s not about gaining anything. I thought I made that pretty clear earlier today.  I just can't help it…” Her tense muscles relaxed and she exhaled. “I feel like…if you fuck this up you won’t get another chance or any mercy or anything like that…and I don’t like the thought of that. I know it’s none of my business. I’ve known that since day one and I keep kicking myself for ever getting involved in the first place. But I’m stubborn as fuck and far too intransigent for my own damn good, to the point where I annoy myself to death. You think you’ve got it bad having to deal with me? You’re not in my head. It’s fricken’ noisy in there. Visiting is ill-advised. And so is ignoring this gut feeling that I have. Remember when I said I don’t believe in coincidences? Well let’s assume that I’m right, and this isn’t a coincidence. Then what exactly is supposed to come of it? Am I supposed to make this worse for you?”  
  
“That would make far more sense.”  
  
“I don’t really make much sense. I was born in a freaking laboratory. Shit, when I was a kid I used to think I was just another science experiment for my dad to parade around and receive endless praise and admiration for. I as an entity don’t even make sense. Personality-wise, I have my moments. Time for me to enter serious mode though. Believe it or not it’s within my capabilities.” She took a deep breath. “Do you still think humans are beneath you? And that this world needs someone to come and rule it because it’s out of control and we’re destroying ourselves like some sort of flesh-eating parasitic pathogen? And our ideals about free will and freedom are the root of that? Our ideals of individualism and doing whatever we want?”  
  
“What does it matter?” She was slightly startled by his tone now; this was the Loki that everyone was still so paranoid about, not the bitter and irritable Loki she was used to. “In my time here thus far I’ve seen nothing to convince me otherwise. In fact, quite the opposite.”  
  
“…‘If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us’. You hate us because all of those things I just mentioned, you see them in yourself. And we remind you of them, and you can’t fucking stand that, so you want to find a way to bring order to this place to give yourself a sense of inner peace. It’s like looking in a broken mirror; fix the mirror, fix the reflection. You know damn well you’re destroying yourself and have no way of bringing any order into your life because you’re in so deep, and you’re desperate for some kind of structure. But you don’t know how to stop. You want to, but you don’t know how, and that makes you feel like you no control at all over your life so you try to strip us of our ‘illusionary freedom’. It’s not enough to have someone to commiserate with. You’ve needed someone to suffer for you ever since you turned on Asgard-”  
  
“Asgard turned on me!” he yelled, face red. He opened his mouth to continue but she held her ground and kept going. “Tell me I’m wrong,” she demanded. “Tell me that this has nothing to do with hating humans, this has to do with hating yourself. This has nothing to do with seeing humans as inferior, this has to do with seeing yourself as inferior. Isn’t that what you said to Uncle Thor? Something about never wanting the throne but to be his equal?”  
  
“You are treading on extremely dangerous waters right now so unless-”  
  
“Oh take your empty threats and shove ‘em up your ass! Now tell I’m wrong. Tell me this is about feeling inferior to Thor, detesting Odin for keeping the truth from you for hundreds of years, and how that completely fucked with your head. I had the luxury of knowing from the beginning that I was created in a friggin’ test tube on a whim induced by a hangover. And while that isn’t a pleasant thought, nor is believing that it was only done so my dad could prove he could do it, I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to find out way down the road where I came from. How I was really born. I can’t. But I’m sure it would fuck up my head just an eensy-weensy little bit. I’d probably think I was just another trophy to hang over the mantle. Which I’m guessing is how you feel. Part of the spoils of war.”  
  
“You’re lucky your parents are here,” he said in an eerily calm voice. “Here's another quote for your thoughtful consideration.  ‘The bird struggles out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever wants to be born, must destroy a world.’”  
  
“‘The bird flies to God. That God's name is Abraxas.’ And Abraxas is supposed to be the interdependence of opposing forces in _Demian_. You know that Hesse didn’t mean ‘must destroy a world’ to be literal, right? Don’t you even think for a second you can use literature against me. Especially if you’re going to use a line out of context. That would be like me attacking you with enchanted ice cubes. And you still haven’t told me I’m wrong. You haven’t told me I’m right either but you have yet to argue with me.”  
  
“Yes, congratulations, you’ve successfully psychoanalyzed every fiber of my being, but what can I do?!” he spat angrily. “Turning back is not an option.  Not anymore.”  
  
“Not with that attitude,” she retorted. “Acknowledging you fucked up is probably the first step. Just like with alcoholism and every other drug addiction.”  
  
“You claim to be motivated by empathy but you know **nothing**. You may face ridicule and spite for your origins but you have yet to be forcibly removed from the only place you’ve ever known as home, to learn that the sole purpose of your existence really is to just be a trophy, to live in the shadow of one who has only managed to garner praise and reputation by default and hardly any noteworthy effort of his own-”  
  
“And yet you wanted to be his equal at one point,” she interrupted calmly.  
  
“That was before I saw Thor for what he really is.”  
  
“Asgard turned on you, according to you-”  
  
“It **did**.”  
  
“Let me finish so you can commence your whine-a-thon. Asgard has turned on you, but Thor is still trying to reach out to you. He wants to see you accomplish this. But you actively push him away. Not all of Asgard has turned on you, it would appear. Or is it different because he’s the one whose shadow you lived in for so long?” Much to her surprise Loki fell silent. He wasn’t formulating a retort nor in contemplation, he was just silent. She gulped, unsure of how to interpret the response she elicited from him.  
  
“If I could travel back in time and change one thing, just one, it would be to prevent Thor’s banishment. To talk him out of storming into Jotunnheim. Then he would have the throne and I would still be living in his shadow, blissfully unaware of my origins, and more importantly of the inferiority complex a very persistent and attitudinal Midgardian youth keeps trying to convince me I have.” He cracked a small but noticeable cynical grin and Danielle felt her muscles begin to relax again. He turned to her. “You seem to believe that you hold all the answers, Danielle. The immersion advice, the alarmingly accurate psychoanalysis…What do you suggest I do now?”  There was a hint of desperation beneath the cynical tone.  
  
“That’s for you to figure out, isn’t it? Isn’t that…the whole freaking point of this?”  
  
“There’s a difference between being able to identify Point A and Point B, and knowing the path which leads from one to the other.”  
  
“Well if I may be so bold as to offer my humble opinion…don’t see my parents tonight. Step one. Step two, no more trying to take over Midgard. Or any other realm. Or destroy them either. Shit just gets messy when you do that. Step three.” She tapped her chin in thought. “Ooh, I know. Don’t actively seek anything out. Let it come to you. If you start obsessing over getting out of here you miss the point of the banishment, but you also miss out on…being here. I know, it’s not ideal and it’s not what you want but if you…I’m not even saying be open-minded and give it a chance, but you’re an opportunist. There might be something here you need and if you’re so busy focusing on insert-object-of-focus-here that tunnel vision you might cause yourself to miss out on something important. Holy shit! Are we having a moment? I think we just had a moment. Whoa. Bonding. That’s creepy. Amusing, but still creepy. So why did you come anyway? Was it really to fuck with my parents?”  
  
“I truly didn’t think they would come.”  
  
“…the concept of parents who give a fuck is kinda alien to you now, isn’t it?” she asked raising an eyebrow curiously. He shrugged. “More or less.”  
  
“I’m glad that girl whose name I can never remember told me she had just met with you when I ran into her. Fuck, what is her name…? She sits next to me, talks to me all the time and I can never remember…”  
  
He cocked his head in confusion. “What are you talking about? I didn’t meet with her.” Her head jerked in surprise. “Huh? I just ran into her in the hall and she said she was just in here meeting with you…And after she left I got a really weird vibe from her. Can’t describe it but…something seemed a little off.” _She said her parents were still in here but I didn’t see anyone else in the halls on the way here. Just realized that._  
  
“I’ve had my suspicions about her for awhile now. I would be cautious of her if I were you.”  
  
“So you can give me life advice, but fuck forbid I do the same. Way to be Loki, way to be. Alright, well, about her, we can play Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys later. I seriously need a way to get them outta here without giving them reason to suspect ulterior motive…They’re not easy to lie to so I’ll need to direct their attention elsewhere…” She jumped in fright when she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. “Why in the ever loving shit is that so scary? Oh crap, it’s my dad.” She took a deep breath and flipped it open. “Done being a fame whore? Wait, what? Yeah, yeah, definitely, I’ll meet you guys at the car. Me? I just went to see one of my teachers while you two were being swarmed. Needed to kill time. OK, yes, dad, I get it, I’m on my way. See you soon.” She snapped it shut, looking incredibly worried but not as surprised as one might expect to accompany the aforementioned worry. “My dad is in some kind legal trouble.”  
  
“It seems your wish has been granted.”  
  
“Yeah, no shit…Why does my life always have to be so exciting? I never get a break.  Looks like I won't be screwing with Thor tonight.”

"I'm legitimately disappointed."

She eyed him curiously.  "That's interesting..."

"What is?"  He raised an eyebrow.  She grinned.  "Just a hypothesis I have going.  Nothing you need to worry about.  Yet.  See ya tomorrow...jackass."


	11. Haunted and Hunted

“Alright, the main attraction has arrived.” The car was already in motion before Danielle had the chance to close the door and put on her seatbelt. _I take it this isn’t the usual legal trouble_. “What’s going on?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Tony replied angrily, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “All I know is a letter was sent to Stark Industries today addressed to me. And guess whose office it came from?”  
  
“…I have no idea.” _So tempted to make a sex tape joke, so very tempted…_  
  
“Senator Fucking Stern. Pepper called me not long after we arrived at your school. Sorry we had to miss this Dani.”  
  
“Why? This sounds waaaaay more important!” _And convenient. Though at dad’s expense._  
  
“Bullshit from my work life shouldn’t be spilling over into my personal life, or yours for that matter,” he replied, quite irked to say the very least.  
  
“Pepper read the letter already, hence the excessive urgency. But she wanted to give it to us in person,” Steve explained. She raised her eyebrows. “Why? Did she think dad would start blowing things up in a blind rage?”  
  
“Probably. And I trust her judgment.”  
  
“Tony, you might want to be mindful of the speed limit or you’ll be in even more legal trouble,” Steve gently advised. He scoffed. “You have no idea how many cops I’ve been able to bribe and pay off.”  
  
“Then how about you slow it down a little because your daughter is in the vehicle?”  
  
“She has her suit with her, she’d be fine.”  
  
She was no stranger to arguments between parents, from the serious to the stupid, but ever since Loki’s return she was starting to feel her parents were at odds more often. Drowning them out as they continued to bicker, her thoughts floated back to what had happened within the last half hour or so. She was certain she could comfortably call Loki a frenemy at best now. They reached the Avenger’s mansion and Danielle was the first inside, hoping to do what her dad couldn’t to try and ease his anger even if only a little.  
  
“Hey J.A.R.V.I.S., did you catch any of the conversation about whatever the letter Pepper received was?” she asked the AI as she kicked off her tennis shoes and hung up her jacket,  
  
“Do you take me for an eavesdropper Danielle?” There was a slight pause. “From what I accidentally overheard it sounds as though this letter sent from Senator Stern is related to a recent invention.” She smacked her forehead and turned to her parents. “I think I know what’s going on,” she muttered. “Just as Pepper predicted…”  
  
“I suggest you speak with Ms. Potts. She is currently in the kitchen with Natasha and Bruce.” Clint was still out patrolling the city for signs of ‘Loki activity’. After explaining Loki’s history and motivation to the adolescent Thor had become a bit of a recluse; it wasn’t a pleasant topic for either brother to reflect on, and he was most likely in his room. The elevator ride up was unbearably nerve-wracking. Pepper and Natasha were leaning on the counter top next to each other as the former reread the letter for Bruce, who was standing on the opposite side of them. She stopped and looked up when she noticed Tony stormed in.  
  
“Finally, you’re here,” Pepper sighed in relief as Danielle hopped up onto the edge of the counter top, sitting next to where Natasha was standing. She dropped her hands in her lap. “So what’s with the pow wow?” the blonde asked. The CEO held out the letter and Tony quickly snatched it, eyes scanning downwards with an exponentially increasing pace. When he finished he slammed it down on the counter top and pointed towards the fridge and cabinets behind Natasha, who took out a few glasses and her exceptionally potent vodka. “Breaking out the vodka? Is it really that bad?” Steve asked.  
  
“You have no idea…” she replied and began pouring for everyone, even a small amount for Danielle which neither of her parents seemed to object to. The adolescent spun around on counter top facing her father as he quickly read over the letter himself, a ferocious fire coming to life in his eyes. As he trembled with fury he handed the letter to his daughter. “You won’t fucking believe this,” he said as she took it from him and began reading aloud.  
  
“'Dear Mr. Stark, It has come to my attention that you are not only continuing your escapades as a rogue vigilant but you have lassoed your child into your little circus. Eye witness accounts, as well as film and photographic evidence, have documented her and yourself making rounds throughout New York City. Using your technology to ‘fight crime’ with your little Justice League is one thing, but bringing a minor into the situation warrants a visit from social services. However due to the nature of your technology, industry, and history with the federal government concerning the utilization of your inventions you, Steven Rogers, and Danielle Rogers-Stark are hereby subpoenaed for a hearing regarding your questionable parenting and deliberately putting your child in a series of dangerous situations, as well as your continued endeavors in inventing, improving, and utilizing the Iron Man weapon. Please do not interpret this as a personal attack; as senator it is my responsibility to keep the interests of my constituents at the heart of my work, the youth of New York being no exception. Your trial is scheduled for October 28th, one week after this letter has been signed and sent. Sincerely, Senator Stern' _._ ” She balled her fists angrily, crumpling part of the letter in the process. “Does Rhodey know?” She turned to Pepper who shook her head. “I couldn’t say. I haven’t contacted him. But it wouldn’t surprise me if they tried to use his old reports again against you.”  
  
“Stern was one of the senators who voted against same-sex marriage legalization in New York, wasn’t he?” Bruce asked raising an eyebrow. Natasha dropped her forehead into her hand. “Not a personal attack my ass.”  
  
  
Pepper made a sour face after a few sips of the alcohol. “That’s…strong,” she coughed. The assassin chuckled. “It’s supposed to be. Considering the occasion I find it most appropriate.” She held up her glass and clinked with Pepper’s who nodded her head. “I can’t argue with that.”  
  
“He can’t be fucking serious. He **cannot** be fucking serious!” Tony yelled, throwing his arms up in the air. Steve put a hand on his forehead and slowly rubbed his temples, trying to calm himself down. “Not a personal attack? Do they really expect us to believe that?”  
  
“He works for the federal government. He expects everyone to believe anything he says,” Bruce muttered with great annoyance, sparking a tinge of concern in all present. Danielle held up her tiny glass. “To anarchy!” she exclaimed and Tony mimicked her. “I’ll drink to that.” They both received a disapproving look from the ever-patriotic Steve, who eventually shrugged his shoulders and raised his glass too, after which the adolescent helped herself to some more.  
  
“I smell vodka and heard anarchy,” Clint said as he emerged from the elevator, his patrol for the evening over. “Mind if I join in?”  
  
“By all means,” Natasha replied as she poured and handed him a glass. “What’s the celebration?” he asked. “We’re lam-ma-menting,” Pepper replied looking slightly hazy. “Stern is a homophobic asshole who wants to steal Tony’s suits again, and he’s pruh-tendin’ it’s because he cares about the youth.” She didn’t have a high alcohol tolerance, so vodka consumption wasn’t the wisest decision for her to make. A second helping was even worse of an idea. “Where’s Thor? He should join us too…I thought Norse Gods loved alcohol…”  
  
“This whole Loh-kiii thing has him kinda conflicted,” Danielled replied with a hiccup. “It’s his brother, ya know? He doesn’t wanna see him get in trouble. He wants to see him be a good guy again. Uhdonblame ‘im…Loki has been through a lottttttttta shitty SHIT, ‘ccording to Uncle Thor. And he knows bestest, so I buh-leaf ‘im.”  
  
“And I believe you, young lady, have had enough.” Steve plucked the half-empty glass from her hand, which Tony quickly stole. Danielle didn’t have much of an alcohol tolerance herself, so she became tipsy rather quickly. One of the few things that the serum hadn't bestowed upon her was the inability to become inebriated. She put a hand on her hip and pointed in his face. “Your mom’s had enough,” she retorted.  
  
“What does your grandmother have to do with this?” he asked confused, making Pepper laugh hysterically. “Oh Steve, you’re soooo olllllld,” she replied as Tony tried to confiscate her glass as well.

* * *

  
 **Nighttime**  
  
  
Pepper was in no condition to drive back home after they finished their “lamenting” and slept on the couch in the common area, not looking forward to the raging hangover she knew awaited her come morning. She woke up in the middle of the night to throw up the alcohol still churning in her stomach, accidentally waking up Natasha. After she rinsed her mouth out she leaned against the countertop of the sink and looked at herself in the mirror, hardly recognizing the hot mess staring back at her. She noticed a red-headed figure in the back corner.  
  
“Sorry, did I wake you?” she asked with labored breaths. Natasha shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”  
  
“I think I am. Relatively speaking. I’ve never had vodka before.”  
  
“I noticed,” she teased. “Seeing as we made the stuff, Russians have a few decent hangover remedies as well. I’ll hang around this morning until you’re well enough to leave.”  
  
“You really don’t have to.”  
  
“I insist. I remember my first time attacking the bottle…Mind you I was around twelve so I’ve had plenty of time to build up a tolerance. Still, being able to hold your liquor is like a rite of passage in some social groups. Namely assassins. What better way to engage with a target than to impair them with a casual drink or two? But I digress. You were…doing some hardcore ‘lamenting’. Trust me, you’ll need it.”  
  
“Thanks Natasha,” she replied with a slow nod as she made her way back to the couch, the red head accompanying her to make sure she was alright navigating her way in the dark.

Only a few halls away Danielle, who was unable to sleep after the mentally taxing afternoon and evening, was staring at a blank email.  The black line kept blinking, taunting her and her inability to produce any words.  After a half-hour of trying to come up with what to write she simply typed 'Sorry for exploding earlier.  Just...things in my head.' and hit send.  She yawned and rubbed her tired eyes, then jumped when she heard a soft beep indicating she had received a new email.

'Someone had to eventually.  Shouldn't you be asleep?'

Chuckling softly she typed 'Shouldn't you?  Who's the concerned one now?'.  She waited and within a matter of seconds received her response.

'Still you.  Sleep or I won't be able to antagonize you today.'

She glanced down in the corner of her laptop and saw it was a little after midnight.  'One condition.  You do it too.  Not a one-sided game anymore.'

'At least I have a worthy opponent.  Odd, considering you're a human.'

* * *

  
 **Later That** **Morning, Danielle’s School**  
  
  
The autumn chill was beginning to settle upon the east coast and Danielle shivered slightly as she walked towards the building, regretting wearing a skirt that day. As she neared the doors she swore she could feel a pair of eyes on her back. She cautiously looked over her shoulder and noticed that the ever vigilant Hawkeye was scouring the city again, starting near her school. She cursed under her breath. _I said I wouldn’t cover for him but I already did last night… I’m practically offering shelter to a fugitive! Then again he’s only wanted by S.H.I.E.L.D. and my family. If they interfered with this test thingy, Asgard could get pissed…What to do, what to do? Of all the times for that sliver of a conscience I got from father to flare up…_ When she reached her locker, which was uncharacteristically clear of any libel or graffiti she grabbed what she needed for the next few hours and then tore a piece of paper out of one of her notebooks, scribbling something down and stuffing it in her pocket. She took an alternate route to her first period class, passing her English classroom to see if Loki was there. When she saw him she crumpled up the note and chucked it through the doorway, accidentally hitting him in the head. She covered her mouth to stifle her laughter as she continued on her way, suspecting him to be glaring daggers in her general direction. He unfolded the note.  
  
 **C. B. on patrol; within proximity. Caution recommended.**  
  
She was certain that it would lead to yet another semi-awkward discussion after class ended and they temporarily shed their roles of student and teacher but when she reached the room she was surprised to see it was empty.  
  
“Danielle!” She turned her head in the direction of the oddly familiar voice. The girl she occasionally spoke with whose name she couldn’t remember ran up to her in the hallway. “Class was canceled today,” she said as she caught her breath. “I guess you didn’t hear. It’s a good thing I caught you in time. Mr. Hiddleston went home sick this morning I heard. I guess the winter bug is getting around a little early.”  
  
“Yeah…Must be. Thanks for letting me know…um…” _Why can I never remember this girl’s name? Crap, I need friends. I think. Do I?_  
  
“Tabitha.”  
  
“Right, sorry. Thanks Tabitha.”  
  
“No problem.” she replied smiling brightly. “See you later!” She waved and went on her way. Danielle stood there for a moment in contemplation. _Something still seems different about her…Not sure what though._ She shrugged it off and returned to her locker. When she opened it a folded piece of paper fell to the ground. She knelt down to pick it up and saw four strange symbols which, after a few seconds she recognized as Elder Furthark, the alphabet of the Old Norse language.  
  
“OK, memory. That's a...D, O, an R? Oh! 'DORS'. 'DORS' are my initials...” She unfolded it.  
  
 **Not going to cover for me, hm?** She narrowed her eyes and crumpled it up. “Jackass,” she muttered.

* * *

  
 **That Same Morning, Avengers’ Mansion**  
  
  
“Pepper, you need to drink it. It will give you energy. Come on.” Natasha, sitting on the edge of the couch pushed a cup full of fizzled cabbage juice in Pepper’s face. “And I can speak from experience when I say it works.”  
  
“It smells vile,” she groaned, not even bothering to sit up. “It’s not supposed to smell good…It’s cabbage juice,” she replied flatly. “We’re experts at hangover remedies. We kind of have to be after unleashing vodka upon the world. Trust me. Just plug your nose and you won’t be able to taste it.”  
  
“The smell is making me nauseous…”  
  
“If you plug your nose you can’t smell it either,” she pointed out. Pepper threw her hands over her face. “What was I thinking?” she grumbled. “Vodka, of all things…”  
  
“Silver lining. Now you know for future reference what your tolerance is.”  
  
“That doesn’t help,” she protested, sounding like a toddler on the verge of throwing a temper tantrum. Natasha shrugged. “Neither does not drinking the juice. Come on, sit up. Or I’ll get a turkey baster and squirt it down your throat until this glass is empty. Unless you’d prefer we go old school and take you to a sauna, after which I beat you with some birch leaves and then you eat an egg.”  
  
“You just made that up.”  
  
“I wish I did. I’m aware of how stupid it sounds.”  
  
“Fine…” She slowly sat up and took the cup. She pinched her nose and took a few sips, took a few breaths, and continued the process until it was empty. “There, I drank it,” she replied in a high-pitched, nasally voice, her nose still plugged as she handed the glass back. “Could you get me some water to wash that out of my mouth?”  
  
“Sure.” Just as Natasha left Steve returned from dropping off Danielle. “Good morning Pepper,” he greeted in a soft voice. “How are you feeling?”  
  
“How do you think?” she asked in a groggy voice. “If I ever get the idea to go to Russia, please talk me out of it. Their alcohol is evil and so are their hangover remedies. Being flogged with birch leaves and drinking cabbage juice and eating eggs…” He looked to Natasha somewhat confused by Pepper’s mumbling who waved a hand, non-verbally advising he ignore it. “Clint and Bruce were fine, as I’m sure you noticed when he left to patrol. I won’t even bother checking on Tony. I think, after receiving a letter like that, he should either be left alone or only bothered by you. Thor still has yet to come out of his room and I’m starting to grow a little worried.” She looked down the hallway which led to the area where the bedrooms were located. “It’s obviously related to Loki. I just wish I knew how. It’s not something he’ll talk about unless you poke and prod, or unless he feels it’s necessary to share.” Natasha sat next to Pepper, still pinching her nose, and gave her the glass of water.  
  
“She may have…tipsy? Is that the word?” Natasha nodded. “She may have been tipsy but she did have a point last night. This situation is going to affect Thor very differently than the rest of us, which I don’t think we were cognizant of until Dani brought it to our attention.” He sat down on the couch across from the two women. “When Loki attacked New York, Thor treated it as an opportunity to try and convince his brother to change his ways. But now Loki is facing his punishment. I wonder if Thor feels that he failed him.”  
  
“It’s possible,” the assassin replied thoughtfully. “To the rest of us Loki has always been an enemy. But to Thor he’s still family. They have a history spanning hundreds of thousands of years. Seeing his brother undergo these character changes and the subsequent consequences for them can’t be easy.”  
  
“It’s settled then.” Steve rose. “I’ll go speak to him, or at least try. I would like it if we were all on the same page." While he made his departure Pepper finished the water and let go of her nose. She made a disgusted face and sighed in defeat. “I think that’s the best I can expect.” She lay back down. “Thank you, Natasha.” The red head grabbed the glass and got up to go refill it; the more hydrated Pepper remained the better condition her body would be in. “It’s sort of my fault,” she said with a slight grimace. “And as I said, I’ve been in your shoes before. Except I had the sauna-birch leaves-eat an egg treatment the first time around. Needless to say I didn’t feel much better. The sauna did help somewhat, but flogging by birch leaves doesn’t provide the body with electrolytes, and an egg won’t hydrate you.” She returned to the couch and Pepper slowly sat up again to drink.  
  
“Explain to me how you were able to date Tony Stark and never touch more potent varieties of alcohol like vodka.”  
  
“That was one the reasons it didn’t work out. Aside from him being gay, of course. He’s…hedonist is a very strong word…”  
  
“But fitting. Which is why I think he and Steve work out so well. They balance each other out. Past meets future, Friday evening in meets party, monogamy meets playboy.” Pepper nodded. “As did we. I’m a driven, no-nonsense sort of person. And when Tony and I broke up one of the first things he told me was that he felt I couldn’t be happy with someone like him. I would always have to play caretaker or secretary for him, and he was right. Then he ended it with ‘Oh, also, I’m gay, which you –as my most recent and final girlfriend- helped me realize. You’re so reliable; I truly appreciate how much I can count on you. Seriously, I owe you big time for this one’.” Natasha rested an elbow on the arm of the couch. “You’re kiddi- Never mind, it’s Tony. Coming from him that’s rather sincere.”  
  
“That’s what I told him,” she replied with a slight laugh. “In the end, as much as it hurt, I came to realize we were better off as close friends than lovers. We always have been. And when he started dating Steve…I had never seen him so happy before. It really helped him get his act together. Granted he still has his slip ups from time to time, but that’s the human condition.  Sure, they may have moved a little fast but Tony needed that stability and Steve is the sort of person who can give it without complaint.  And I think they may have been flirting a tad bit before they were officially dating so something was already there.”  
  
“You sound like you’re feeling better. Able to hold a conversation now.”  
  
“My head is still throbbing,” she mumbled pathetically before finishing her water. “You’ve at least been hungover before, haven’t you?” Natasha asked, an eyebrow cocked. “Or are you that straight laced?” Pepper slowly shook her head. “No, no, not at all. I did go to college, so I’ve had…experiences. But that was awhile ago. I wasn’t a wild child per se but some weekends you just need to let loose and forget about the rest of the world. I left all of that behind after I graduated though. It was a phase.” Natasha chuckled. “Sorry, but the image of you at a college party…Fish out of water. I can’t imagine you actually partying, just being the awkward wallflower.”  
  
“That’s not entirely…inaccurate. Alright, I suppose I am rather straight laced. But I have done LSD before,” she replied with a hint of pride. Natasha feigned awe. “Goodness, you really lived life on the edge,” she mocked, pretending to be impressed.

* * *

  
 **Thor’s Room**  
  
  
Aside from his own, Thor’s room was the least overwhelming to Steve because it lacked all the modern technological advances which he still found somewhat daunting at times. He specifically requested a room with a view that wasn’t obscured by tall buildings so he had a clear view of the thunder and gray clouds when the weather was stormy. Aside from that the room was simple, arguably minimalistic (though unintentionally so). It consisted of a bed, a sizable desk and chair to accommodate for his build, and a few books. On his desk was a framed photo from he held Danielle for the first time when she was born and another when she tried lifting Mjolnir when she was two (though she couldn’t lift it she was able to drag it along a few inches).  
  
“Good morning Thor,” Steve greeted the Norse God who was staring by the window, his hands behind his back. Gray clouds were starting to gather outside. He silently acknowledged his comrades presence as he entered the room, walking up to his side. “Do you have some time?”  
  
“That depends on what you wish of me.”  
  
“To talk. I, rather the rest of us, realize that this is the most difficult for you because this is your brother. That’s been bothering you, hasn’t it?”  
  
“If you must ask, then you already know,” he replied in a somber tone, gaze unwavering as he folded his arms over his chest. Steve mentally cursed at Thor’s evasiveness. This was going to be more difficult than he had anticipated. Thor wasn’t a closed individual so the fact that he was socially withdrawing was highly indicative of something; what that was, Steve wasn’t sure.  
  
“We have not found him yet, but still you vilify him. Did it not occur to you that maybe he is taking this sentence seriously?”  
  
“It’s hard to think of him any other way considering the attack on New York, which led to Tony’s PTSD. I understand that’s a personal bias on my part but I think it’s safe to say we all hold one. Clint was possessed, Bruce was forced to change, Phil almost died, and Natasha was caught between Clint and Bruce.”  
  
“I am aware. I was present.”  
  
“So you understand why we feel the way we do. But it’s hard for the rest of us to relate to your experiences and thoughts on the matter.”  
  
“Your daughter would argue otherwise,” he said, glancing at the super soldier out of the corner of his eye before returning his attention to the weather. “And she has never met him. But she has just as much reason to hold a personal grudge as the rest of you.” He knit his brow in confusion. “How so?”  
  
“She and I spoke. She feels very differently than the rest of you. I see parallels between Loki and herself in terms of personality and experiences. She asked me why he acts this way, what had happened that turned him into the person he is now. Why is it that no one else has taken that into consideration?”  
  
“We had to take immediate action. He was destroying New York.”  
  
“No. We reacted to a threat without examining the source. Incarcerating him time and time again will create a cycle, self-perpetuating and only strengthen his hatred which I do not wish to see. I do not want to give him any more reason to harbor such poison in his heart. Instead we should examine the source. If a tree is rotting and about to collapse, do you trim the branches or uproot it?”  
  
“…That’s a very fair point. I believe time was against us back then. But now we have the time to do that.”  
  
“Yet you still hunt him like a feral creature,” he said, narrowing his eyes.  
  
“That…that is a conversation we need to have as a team, including Fury.”  
  
“And Danielle,” Thor insisted. “Her insight is remarkable considering her age, but that has never stopped her before so I am not surprised.” _Nor would I be surprised if she knew more than she would like us to believe._


	12. Awkward Bonding

The heir to the Stark fortune was slowly but surely developing a bad habit of losing track of time to talk with Loki after class. It struck her as bizarre but despite his manipulative streak he was still quite the people person and was adept at maintaining conversation, for better or for worse. The fact that Danielle always had to put in her two cents or had something to rant about didn’t help her case. It had gotten to the point where she requested to switch out her chemistry class, which followed English, with her morning study hall hour to give them more time to talk. Perhaps the strangest part of the entire situation was that the very source of the growing tension in her household and amongst her family members, which she was trying to actively avoid, was her catharsis for it all. Her new found free time was spent in the classroom as it wasn’t in use after her class period.  
  
“So how did you leave the building yesterday without catching Uncle Clint’s attention a few days back, when he was makin’ the rounds?” she asked, pulling up a chair and turning it around so the back was pressed against the desk. “You can’t teleport, you can’t shapeshift, you can’t duplicate…”  
  
“A good magician never reveals his secrets.”  
  
“Maybe not, but you’re not a good magician right now. Shit, you’re not even a magician anymore,” she teased.  
  
“And once that changes you will be the first to kneel before me.”  
  
“I can’t tell if you’re serious or not.” She rested an elbow on the desk and planted her chin in her palm. “And I can’t say I care,” she added with a shrug, sticking out her tongue. “Ooh, so that legal trouble. Someone must’ve seen me accompanying my dad on a routine patrol in my suit and word eventually reached Senator Stern, who really doesn’t like my dad. He tried to force him to hand over his suit a few years before you were relevant. Now they want to bring me and him and my father to court because of…something about a sixteen-year-old having a suit, blowing shit up, and questionable parenting skills. Well gosh golly gee senator, maybe if you would actually DO SOMETHING yourself about the crime in New York we wouldn’t find ourselves in this situation now would we? Even the higher ups in S.H.I.E.L.D. don’t know what the hell they’re doing. You know they tried to drop a nuke on Manhattan when you had your little play day because they thought that would solve the problem? Sure, let’s kill all the civilians just to take out a few aliens parading around Manhattan like it’s Freshman Kill Day. That will **obviously** close the portal and kill the Chitauri who haven’t even come to Earth yet! And then the federal government thought it could try and convince the whole damn country that it was a terrorist attack. Launched by humans. What in the fucking fuck? It’s no wonder this country is full of idiots. They treat us like we are and then we internalize it and become conditioned to listen to their every word and I think I might be an anarchist now because fuck the police.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and caught her breath after her lengthy rant. “I have so many feelings right now,” she muttered. “So many very aggressive feelings. At times like these I can understand the concern about a teen having a suit because I would kill to blow something up right now, to unleash all this frustration on inanimate objects since they can’t fight back and will be utterly helpless and at my mercy…and that didn’t sound as warped in my head as it did out loud. Why do you look so amused?”  _He's oddly easy to vent to.  Then again he is a convict._  
  
“Because you’re rather amusing right now,” he replied with a slight grin. “It’s bizarre considering how docile you look.”  
  
“When I’m not going around breaking my father’s bones I’m sure I do look pretty harmless,” she giggled. Noticing the surprise on his face she explained, “OK, I didn't break his bones.  He wanted to train me so I don’t become reliant on the suit if I ever find myself in a sticky situation and naturally that led to a student vs. master showdown…I bruised one of his ribs and, yeah, guess it could've fractured had it been any harder. Accidentally of course. He’s fine now, but holy shit did I feel guilty…and empowered at the same time,” she admitted with a devilish grin. “Captain America is getting his ribs cracked by a little girl. Whom he himself had taught to crack ribs. I only walked away with this big, deep, ugly, purple bruise.” She rolled up her sleeve and extended her arm, showing the nicely healing mark on her skin. “It was a lot more disgusting looking a few days back. I kept feeling the urge to poke it to amuse myself. Since Captain America gave it to me I’m not very surprised it’s still there, even if I can heal rather quickly like him. And I have no idea why I’m telling all of this.” _I’m showing off my battle scar to the guy who almost killed my entire family, which led to the creation of my weird lil’ family. What the hell and a half have I gotten myself into?_  
  
“When is this trial of yours?” he asked with immense curiosity.  
  
“The 28th. Only a few days now…I probably won’t be in class. And it’s even going to be televised. Oh goodie, I’ll be on TV!” she exclaimed with pseudo-enthusiasm. “But it’s their sophistry against my dad’s devil-may-care attitude, my father’s cool-calm-collected demeanor, and my go-fuck-yourself logic. I’m not worried. I’ll argue those fuckwits to hell and back. And because I’m just a wittle girlie they won’t see it coming, so they’ll probably have their mental guard down because they’ll feel no need to take myself or my dad very seriously. Not sure what they’ll expect from my father though. Why?”  
  
“I look forward to watching,” he said with a slight grin. “I expect you’re going to put on quite the show, no pun intended, considering your disdain for authority.” She faked a gag again. “You’re so creepy. Alright, back to that Tabitha chick. I’ve had stalkers before and she doesn’t fit the profile. Nor is she an obsessive fan, at least not of me. I also realized that she used to talk to me occasionally before Mrs. Snyder had her baby, but when you took over she started talking to me more. Whaddya make of that? To me that reeks of some kind of connection to you.”  
  
“That is…interesting to say the least.” He rested his elbows on the desk, folding his hands together. “If that is the case, it would appear she is using you to get to me.”  
  
“That opens up way too many possibilities. You’ve got an extensive list of enemies. Oh don’t give me that look, you know it’s true! But why go through me? Why not go right to the source, if you really are her target?”  
  
“A good question. I would wager to say that it’s directly related to your parentage, considering the connection.”  
  
“Meaning she would know the connection between you and my parents.  After she started talking to me more I’ve been getting harassed less. And my parents had to deal with that mob of fans instead of homophobes, religious zealots, oppositional bioethicists, and pacifist hippie fuckwits. She also said she’s an Iron Man fan. Maybe she wants to get to my parents. But that wouldn’t explain why she started talking to me more after you arrived, unless she knows who you really are and the connection between you and my family. That’s not something a human would know. Not a human without affiliations outside of Midgard, that is. The plot thickens!”  
  
“You sound excited about the fact that your life could be in danger.”  
  
“Pfft, it’s been in danger since the day I was born. Hatched. Breached. Whatever. When I was expelled from the tube.”  
  
“You do realize that doesn’t make you immune to greater threats,” he pointed out with faux condescension.  
  
“No, but I have an edge up on the competition. Word is circulating about my suit but I don’t think people know about my superhuman abilities _just_ yet.” She dropped her chin to the desk. “Ever since S.H.I.E.L.D. entered panic mode my house has gotten super tense.”  
  
“What about your parents?” he asked raising an eyebrow. “Aside from being displeased with your feelings on the matter.” She heaved a heavy sigh and folded her arms over the desk as a makeshift pillow, then lay her head down. “They’re both getting frustrated a bit more easily. I think they can’t agree on how to deal with me and my role in all of this. It seems like they’re starting to argue more. That’s something I’m _definitely_ staying out of. That’s…that’s their relationship to work out. This impending trial doesn’t help. My dad hates Stern with a passion and…there are videos all over the internet of his first time in court with the dude, and they’re fucking hilarious. My father on the other hand is a patriot with a lot of respect for the government, which would vicariously extend to the judiciary branch. He doesn’t want my dad sassing off like he did the first time he butted heads with Stern. I sure as shit wanna do that. Together they’re great, those two. It’s like Abraxas. Balance of interdependent forces. Their differences can help ground each other sometimes, but when they butt heads they get pretty intense; and they never butt heads over trivial matters either, it’s heavy duty stuff, so naturally they’re both really fired up and firm in their convictions. Fuck forbid they _ever_ want to reach a middle ground. Maybe I’m just feeling that way because of the growing tension. It’s not something I’ve ever seen from them before, an escalation in arguing, but we’ve also never been in a situation like this before.”  
  
“I certainly hope this isn’t an attempt to guilt trip me into turning myself in,” he said folding his arms over his chest. She gave him a strange look as if studying his face.  "You're doing it again."

"Doing what?" he demanded in annoyance.  She shook her head. “Nothing, nothing.  Back to my parents.  No, that wouldn’t fix it. They need to learn to work shit out, not just resort to removing the problem and expecting that to fix things for them. Besides, you would never do something that altruistic for someone else. Especially a lil’ Midgardian kid like me. At least not until you’re one of the good guys again,” she chuckled, earning another glower. “Knock it off with the glaring, it gets you nowhere. Nothing is scarier than my father’s glare when he’s pissed off. Not even the Hulk can compare to that.”  _He's doing it again!  Is that what I think it means?  Best blackmail ever._  
  
“I find that hard to believe…”  
  
“Alluding to getting slammed back and forth into the kitchen floor?” she asked with an eyebrow raised, hiding a smirk. He bit his tongue, mentally cursing his inability to forcibly silence her. He hated how easily she could get under his skin just as he could hers. The idea of a Midgardian able to hold her own in banter and debate with him didn’t bode well with the silver-tongued deity; he was annoyed by the fact that he had encountered living proof that he could no longer generalize and belittle the human race as a whole as incompetent. Danielle was still just a child but she was witty enough to keep his attention in conversation and insightful enough to piece together parts of his psyche which he ignored both out of disdain and discomfort. And as much as he wanted to loathe her for inadvertently forcing him to confront those realities it caused quite the opposite, as not many had both made him angry and earned a degree or so of his respect in the process but also lived to tell the tale.  It caused him to see her as something other than just a ‘Midgardian’. He hated to admit it but the talkative, sarcastic, stubborn, and oddly compassionate adolescent was starting to grow on him little by little. It felt more like the growth of a fungus or carrying a parasite rather than a fondness, but there was a bond being established nonetheless.  
  
“I’m gonna take that silent glare as a ‘yes’,” she said unable to hide the grin any longer. “I can’t even begin to imagine how much you must hate the fact that you can’t force me to shut the fuck up.”  
  
“Neither can I,” he replied with great restraint.  
  
“So if you do get found, what’re ya gonna do? I guess that would depend on who found you. I think Uncle Thor would keep it to himself, to be perfectly honest with you. Everyone else…not so much.”  
  
“Who learns of it is inconsequential. At some point they’ll all know everything there is to know. It’s a matter of what they wish to do with that knowledge.”  
  
“Surveillance,” she replied absentmindedly, poking at her bruise. “That much I know for certain. Actually it was my idea. I formulated the plan. I inadvertently became the puppeteer behind this entire thing!” She perked up. “I gave the executive orders for what the Avengers are supposed to be doing and I’m actively keeping you from them too. The plan was to find your human identity and use that knowledge to keep an eye on you, learn your day-to-day routines, any connections and resources you have, and what you might be plotting it anything at all. And how you would use those connections and resources of course. But…you’re just a friggin’ English teacher! You barely make enough in a year to have any disposable income. I’m pretty sure my dad would be in hysterics before he begins that whole threat issuing thing he likes to do.”  
  
“He is oddly conversational, almost personable, when making threats.”  
  
“I know right? He offered you a fricken’ drink. Well that doesn’t really surprise me, actually, since he was having one too.” Her head sank again. “Oh shit,” she muttered gravely. “Dad’s had issues with alcohol addiction before…What if this gets so stressful that he starts drinking to cope? He has been having it on a regular basis, now that I think about it. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.” She faceplanted into her folded arms and groaned loudly and obnoxiously. “This all happened before I was born,” she began as she lifted her head back up, “but it’s been a teeter-totter lately. It stopped not long after my parents started dating because of how crazy in love my dad was with my father, but he had it really bad. Just occurred to me.”  
  
“You’re caught in quite the gray zone.”  _Rather unfortunate, having to cope with that knowledge._  
  
“Apt description.” She propped her elbow back up and dropped her cheek into it. “What the hell do I then?” she asked with a shrug. “What can you do?” he replied rhetorically. “It’s not your responsibility.”  
  
“Neither are you,” she pointed out.  
  
“What I’ve come to gather from our conversations and your actions Danielle is that you’re very quick to jump to the defense and aid of others, but rarely do you take yourself into consideration until you’re caught in a mess you have no control over.”  
  
“Hey, I do the psychoanalysis around here,” she said defensively, jokingly so, pointing a finger at him.

* * *

  
 **4:38 PM, the Mall**  
  
  
“I hate formal wear,” the teenager griped as Pepper piled blouses, skirts, and pants into her arms. She poked her head over the mountain of fabric. “Seriously, can’t I just wear jeans and a hoodie?” Pepper shook her head. “Absolutely not. You’re going to look presentable during the trial whether you like it or not. Changing rooms, get going.” Danielle rolled her eyes and headed into one of the empty stalls and started trying on everything Pepper had picked out for her. She sat down on one the benches in the waiting area and folded one leg over the other. There was still debate over whether or not the rest of the Avengers should attend but Pepper would be there for certain. Though Rhodey had not been called in to testify this time he would be there as well to show his support.  
  
“Is she finally in there?” Natasha emerged from in between the racks of clothing, her arms behind her back. Pepper nodded. “She’s putting up a fuss, naturally, but she’s in there.” Natasha shook her head unable to hide her amusement. “That kid…” She sat next to Pepper, her hands in her lap, which were cradling a snowglobe. Instead of a conventional display it had small statues of Victor Frankenstein and his monster on the table with golden flakes to emulate the electric shock which brought the creature to life. Noticing the curious look in Pepper’s eyes Natasha explained, “I went over to the novelty shop to pick up something for her. I don’t know how she does it, balancing school and…us, and she’s had to deal with a lot lately. Thought I might spoil her a little, and I know how much she loves this book.”  
  
“That’s so neat,” she marveled with a smile. The red head shrugged. “It was either this or _The Pit and the Pendulum_ with little floating rats instead of glitter and the words ‘I saw that the crescent was designed to cross the region of the heart’ on the base. I’m sure Dani would love it but I doubt Steve would be thrilled if I bought something like that for his daughter. Tony maybe, but Steve? Absolutely not.”  
  
“Not even in a parallel universe would that go over well.” Pepper folded her hands over her knee. “How come you and Clint haven’t had any children yet?” Natasha almost dropped the trinket and snapped her head in Pepper’s direction. “How come…what? Oh not you too…Clint and I are _not_ together.”  
  
“You’re kidding. The two of you spend so much time together and are so close…I’m sorry for assuming.”  
  
“It’s fine. He thought the same thing actually. That was a slightly awkward conversation. I love him like a brother. Platonic intimacy. That’s all there is to it. And I don’t want children of my own anyway. I never saw myself becoming a mother, and I think helping raise Dani is enough to hold me over for five lifetimes should I ever change my mind.”  
  
“Hard to believe she’s already sixteen. Seventeen at the end of next month.”  
  
“I know. It feels like just yesterday we were taking those first family pictures. Now she has a suit of her own, is getting into legal trouble, and making enemies with politicians. They grow up so fast,” Natasha joked, grinning.  
  
“Chip off the old block,” Pepper snickered.  
  
“What about you? Any plans for kids when you find Mr. Right?” She lazily shook the snowglobe. The CEO shook her head. “No, I’m far too business-oriented to have any interest in having children of my own. I’m in the same boat as you. She’s enough.” She nodded towards the dressing rooms, where they could hear Danielle cursing about how ridiculous she thought she looked in formal wear.  
  
“What about the hunt for Mr. Right? Work getting in the way of that too?”  
  
Pepper blushed and coughed nervously. “It’s on indefinite hiatus,” she said quickly, looking the other way. Natasha raised an eyebrow suspiciously. _She…She couldn’t be…Only one way to find out._ “You’re gay, aren’t you?” she asked bluntly. Pepper’s eyes widened and she coughed nervously again. “What makes you think that?” she asked in high-pitched voice, still refusing to look at the assassin.  
  
“Nothing really, I’m just asking.”  
  
“Oh,” she replied quietly, looking at her feet. “I suppose my anxiousness is a dead giveaway though?”  
  
“Oh yeah,” Natasha nodded. “You’re cute when you blush.” A startled Pepper finally looked at Natasha. “I…I am?” she asked confused by the compliment.  
  
“Mm hm. Once this trial nonsense is over, would you care to accompany me for a night on the town?”  
  
“Natasha, are you…are you asking me on a date?” she asked in hushed tone, blinking in disbelief. The red head shrugged casually. “What makes you think that?” she echoed.

* * *

**5:52 PM, Avenger's Tower  
**

**  
**Danielle wasn't a terrible liar.  She was by no means a gifted one but she was capable of crafting a little white lie every now and then.  After she had gone to the mall with Natasha and Pepper she insisted on talking a walk, no destination in mind, to clear her head.  It's true that the impending trial was causing her great stress but something else held a greater bearing on her mental security.  Once again her parents had gotten into a very petty and pointless argument, something which they were quite adept at doing when not in the company of others.  But Danielle, who wanted to run some suggestions for modifications on her suit by her dad, overheard an argument take place in the lab.  She needn't even enlist in the aid of the AI to hear the words exchanged; she had caught the jist of it and that was enough for her.

 _What they're wearing to the trial...Really?  REALLY?_ she mentally screamed as she slid on her Converse and threw on her light autumn jacket.  "What would you like me to tell your parents when they inquire as to where you are, Danielle?" J.A.R.V.I.S. asked as she opened the front door.  She sighed and shook her head.  "Just going out to relax.  Tell them not to call me either 'cause I'm annoyed with them both.  If anyone else asks tell them the same thing, but keep any mention of my parents out of it."

"For security purposes would you mind telling me your intended destination?"

"The park that's not too far from here.  Whether or not I'll stay there is a different story.  It's a few blocks from the subway station and I do love me some beef lo mein.  Might head to Chinatown.  I'll have my phone with me so check it for my coordinates if ya want.  Sound good?"

"Yes, thank you.  I do hope you feel better."

 _Strange how sincere an AI can be_.  "Thanks buddy," she replied as she closed the door behind her as quietly as possible.  The park in mind wasn't very far from the tower and she was going to go there, but she had no intention of staying.  As usual when going out in public she wore sunglasses and kept her long hair down as opposed to the usual ponytail she had it up in.  When feeling more so capricious than usual she would wear black lipstick, much to her father's chagrin.  After weaving her way through pushy streams of pedestrians she reached the park and sat down on a bench, looking up at the sky and sighing deeply.

"What in the fuck is going on?" she whispered to herself.  "Everything is getting so stupidly stupidful..."  She closed her eyes and folded her hands behind her head.  _The only person I can talk to about all this bullshit is the one who's putting everyone in a panic that's creating this bullshit.  At least it feels that way.  He has got to be one of the most personable people I've ever met, and he's kinda crazy.  Though if memory serves that's typical of sociopaths or something like that.  They're charming by nature._   Her blue eyes widened in confusion.  _Did I just call Loki charming?  Hell no, I just compared him to a sociopath.  Contrary to popular belief...I don't think he is.  I am good at reading someone's character and he...He just seems lost.  Desperate for some sense of direction.  And it wouldn't surprise me if he was also really, really lonely.  That's definitely something I can relate to..._

She straightened up and folded her legs beneath her, an elbow resting on each and her hands in her lap.  _So...what to do about dad and father...No.  Not my responsibility.  If they're gonna be stupid and immature they need to work it out themselves.  Fucking idiots._   She swallowed hard as an uncomfortable pressure began to build began her eyes.  _Damn it, I hate crying.  Especially in front of others...which a public setting certainly constitutes as._   The park was rather empty save for the occasional jogger or couple taking a romantic walk, holding hands and smiling.  She scoffed at the sight.   _I can think of two people who could learn from that example.  Thanks parental units for setting a grand example of exactly what a healthy relationship looks like.  For the first seventeen years of my life anyway.  Or sixteen and elven months.  Ya almost made it!  Fucking idiots.  I think we should look into family therapy._   She could feel her anger levels rising and didn't want to lose her temper upon returning home; when pushed enough she was quite easy to set off, and already yelled a great deal to begin with when she felt challenged.  As she wracked her brain for something to do to alleviate her frustration her jaw dropped.  One block away she saw the last person she ever thought she would see outside of school or (once thus far) the bookstore.

 _No way.  That CANNOT be a thing.  That's a thing.  That's a fucking thing.  And my legs are getting restless.  Oh for fuck's sake Danielle, of all the people to cry to about your dysfunctional family!  Suppose he would know more about that than anyone else though...And my legs are already moving,_ she thought looking down, realizing that she was already halfway across the park.  She darted across the street when the traffic had cleared, leaving her with a window of approximately three seconds before she repainted the cars red.  When she reached the street she was about to make a witty remark and catch him off surprise but before she could his brisk voice informed her, "I know you're there.  Who is doing the stalking now?"  Loki looked over his shoulder with an eyebrow raised at her, halfway through turning the key in the lock to his front door.  She stuck out her tongue.  "I'm not stalking you.  I came to the park to clear my head, get away from my dumbfuck dad and dumbfuck father and of all the people I happen to notice it's you."

"So you thought it a good idea to harass me as usual?"

She pulled down her sunglasses and grinned.  "Oh you know you love my company," she replied facetiously.  He turned around and folded his arms over his chest.  "What do you want?"

She shook her head.  "Nothing."

"I don't know why you would insist on trying to lie to me-"

"Alright, alright, obviously I wanted something, just not from you specifically.  I think.  I wanted, needed to get away from them for a bit.  The trial is tomorrow and those idiots started getting into a stupid fight AGAIN.  Oh shit, I should keep my voice down."  She glanced around at her surroundings through her peripheral vision and sighed in relief.  "Fucking fans and paparazzi..."

"A life of wealth and admiration must be so miserable," he replied sarcastically and a noticable hint of jealousy when he said the word 'admiration'.  She nodded.  "Actually yeah, it is.  'Cause I want nothing to do with it.  I hate the materialistic lifestyle I was thrust into, I hate people loving me for all the wrong reasons, I can deal with people hating me for whatever the reason because fuck people, but if I had my say I wouldn't be living in a fucking mansion.  I wouldn't have all this damned adoration coming from people solely based on my last names or the skills I was born with.  I'd be much more self-sufficient without my dad mocking me saying he's already invented something for insert whatever it is I'm doing here.  Sure, a lot of people are very anti-Dani because of how I was born and my parent's 'lifestyle choice' but that's fine with me.  Subjectivity is a thing and everyone is entitled to their own opinion and perception; like fuck I can dictate that.  But there's a reason I have these on."  She pointed at her sunglasses.  "I swear, somewhere I have an underground burgeoning fanbase that -if I ever willingly threw myself into the public eye- would come out of fuck knows where and come after me like cheetahs.  I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, and I'm so damn tired of people 'loving me' for just being me and doing whatever the fuck it is that's apparently so exceptionally exceptional.  And I don't know where all of that came from.  I was pissed at my parents, that's for damn sure, but that rant just poofed into existence.  Oops."  She put her hands on her hips.  "What I wouldn't give to throw all of it away and go minimalist, ya know?  They can run around playing superhero all they want but I don't care about that.  I grew up hearing the stories and that's enough for me.  I'm no superhero.  I'm just...me.  Whatever that means.  But I do know what it doesn't mean.  That's why my family sees the real me and the rest of the world has to deal with a recluse, an introvert, a camera shy little kid.  It's lonely, yeah, but...I got screwed over a lot growing up because of stuff I mentioned earlier, people hating on my parents and what not, so I saw no point in letting anyone else having the privilege of what Danielle Olivia Rogers-Stark is really like," she joked with a grin, then suddenly narrowed her eyes.  "Why am I telling you all this?"  She cocked her head to the side, acting as if he knew the answer.

"That is a **very** good question."

"You're easy to talk to and that's weird.  I feel like I should hate you but I don't.  I feel like I should go out of my way to avoid you but you pop up all over the damn place.  I feel like all of those things make sense on the surface...but they go against something, and don't make sense in my head.  Throwback to everything happens for a reason?"  She raised her arms, elbows bent.  "Who knows?  But this much I do know.  You're the reason everyone is freaking the fuck out right now, and you're the only person I feel okay talking to about all that stupidness I live with.  And I don't mind.  In fact I like it.  I prefer it.  I feels natural.  Am I just rambling now or am I making some semblance of sense?"

"Yes to both," he replied with slight hesitation.

"You're the only exception to the whole 'subjected to the unfortunate reality that is my actual personality' thing too.  And that's weird too.  But it also feels natural.  As things should be.  Am I just imagining things or do you get that vibe too?"

"I suppose the same could be said to you," he said with even greater hesitation.  "Well aren't I special?" she grinned mockingly.

"How long do you intend on keeping me out here?"

"I didn't.  I just saw you and...there were words in my head and...yeah, here I am.  Feel free to ignore me and slam the door in my face.  Surprised you haven't already."

"As am I."

"Then ignore me," she challenged.  He rolled his eyes.  "Even if I did, you wouldn't shut up.  You and I are both painfully aware of that fact, more so myself than you."  She couldn't help but laugh.  "That's funny.  Ya know how I said that this is probably really tough to do on your own?  Well earlier I was thinking to myself about how you must be one of the loneliest people in the entire friggin' universe...and you pretty much just affirmed that for me.  Also you no longer look like you wanna strangle me.  Am I right, Loki?"

"About not wanting to strangle you?  Far from.  About your hypothesis?"  He paused.  "What does it matter?" he asked monotone.  She rolled her shoulders and took off her sunglasses, eyes uncharacteristically gentle.  "'Cause this sucks.  This whole situation sucks.  And I can't help but get the feeling Odin keeps throwing punishment upon punishment on you because he's also suffering from insecurities of his own and no matter what you do he won't stop.  And...that's just fucking ridiculous."

He had to try extremely hard to bite his tongue at the mention of his failures.  "And what does the omnipotent, omniscent Allfather have to be insecure about?" he asked acerbically.  Unfazed by his tone she replied, "He probably feels like he has to compensate for his epic fuckup, and he's projecting that onto you, thus turning you into the 'problem child', giving himself some kind of purpose by always being able to exercise his authority and force all this on you for his mistake.  Self-aggrandizing, basically, to be able to live with himself after what he did."

"And what exactly is this 'mistake' you keep alluding to?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

"He lied," she replied simply with utter disgust.  "And even if he changed his mind later on he still kept the truth from you and he used you.  He can try and justify it all he wants by dropping the original motivation but it's a classic case of intent versus impact.  Now he has to convince everyone he's the perfect father, himself included, by painting you into a corner because he's seen the repercussions of his actions.  He can't deal with the guilt so he's making it your burden.  As far as I'm concerned all of your 'offenses'...He started them.  And he's perpetuating them.  And he's not gonna stop this vicious cycle he started because fuck forbid anyone ever accuse the Allfather of being a shitty father.  But that's just me.  I could be totally off," she said with a shake of her head.  He stared blankly at her in absolute silence, then knit his brow in thought as he began mulling over her words.  She folded her arms her chest.  "And of course the perfect ruler and guardian of his realm...Keeping it safe from your incessant 'malicious intentions'.  A part of me can't help but think he's painted himself into a corner, conflicted between the roles of ruler and parents, but he has to save face.  And you make a very easy scapegoat.  Because of his efforts, not anything you're intentionally doing.  Not anymore.  But like hell anyone would ever give you the credit for trying to turn any of that around and recognize your efforts-"  He put a hand to silence her.  "I see your point.  You can...stop now," he said quietly.  The atmosphere between them grew quiet.

"I can ship off now, if ya want," she said to break the awkward silence, looking at her feet.  "I just felt like...you might wanna hear that.  That someone needed to tell you that.  Someone who actually believes it.  That there's some serious victim blaming going on here and it's pissing me the fuck off.  Not trying to give a pep talk or whatever, but there's always multiple angles to every situation and I doubt anyone would even entertain that one as possible without feeling like a heretic or something.  That there does exist at least one person who doesn't think you should be behind bars for eternity and then some, even if you might not think that.  Not yet anyway.  And seeing as I bear no allegiance or loyalty as a third party I can run my mouth off as much as I fucking please.  Hell, even if I couldn't I still would because I'm recalcitrant."  She couldn't help but grin.  "So I'll see you after the trial thingy whatchamafuckit, I guess.  Take it easy."  She turned around and began to make her leave until he said something which almost made her choke on her own breath from the shock.

"What's the rush?  Are you really so eager to return to your arguing parents?"  There was clicking sound behind her as he unlocked and opened the door.  "You still haven't ranted about your parent's argument.  It's not like you to pass up an oppurtunity like that.  Feeling ill Danielle?"

"It's kinda creepy how well you're starting to know me."

"I could say the same to you."

Still frozen in place she looked over her shoulder and added, "I didn't say it was a bad thing, though."  _Derranged villain my ass.  Temperamental?  Oh yeah.  But evil?  Nope.  Just...lost.  And I feel like I'm the only one who sees that.  I wasn't there at the attack but I've seen some of the footage.  Uncle Clint showed me, along with the soundbytes that were preserved in the archives.  I know the story.  But I know his too.  At the very least I'm trying to.  I'm the only one who's ever bothered to find out.  Is that why he seems to actually take me seriously?  Suck on that Asgard._

"Nor did I."  _Had I not tried to claim Midgard this girl may never have been born.  Thus far I thought her to be the living embodiment of my mistakes, having been bred from what they led to.  If that were so...she would have no reason to stand before me claiming Odin is at fault.  Maybe that wasn't a mistake after all.  What it was I'm not sure, but if she was the result then surely it was for the best in the grand scheme of things.  She's quite intriguing...for a human.  I do hope she's cogisent of the fact that her compassion will work against her someday.  Until then...This girl, this strange little girl is all I have.  I would ask why but questioning it may unravel it.  And oh the fit she would have should I make her efforts thus far for naught.  Whatever her intentions may be it's preferable to...Preferable to handling this on my own, whether I like it or not.  A fact she's quite adept at constantly reminding me of._

Danielle turned around.  "I'm not a vampire ya know.  Don't need an invitation to come in."

"That would constitute as trespassing according to the laws of man, would it not?"

"As if I give a fuck," she snickered.  "And I doubt you would either.  We could both use the company right now."


	13. Point of Disorder

“Steve, I don’t think Stern will care how straight my tie is,” Tony sighed as his husband struggled to fix the fabric.  
  
“Presentation can have a big impact. Now, are you going to take this seriously?”  
  
“Yes. Will I take Stern seriously? No.” He folded his arms over his chest and glanced up at the clock. In five or so minutes the family of three would be called in and the circus would begin. “You saw the old video. I’m not gonna tolerate that, especially if he’s calling our parenting skills into question.”  
  
“Acting like that may give him more reason to think we do have questionable parenting skills,” Steve pointed out. Danielle, who was sitting on a bench not far from them sighed obnoxiously loud to get their attention. “Will you two please just shut up already?” she groaned, glancing over at them. Seeing how visibly frustrated she was, the two exchanged looks of both concern and defeat. “Alright, I’ll save the attitude for Stern. Sound good?”  
  
“Dad, just shut up. Don’t make me say it again.”  
  
“Dani, what’s wrong?” Steve asked tilting his head to the side. With a slight sneer she replied, “You two. You won’t stop arguing over petty and pointless shit. Ground rules for my suit usage, sure. Not liking my stance on the Loki situation, by all means. But this? We are gonna end up looking terrible and it’ll have nothing to do with dad’s friggin’ tie. Ever since this Loki business began you two have been going at it more and more and it’s gotten to the point where it seems like you’re looking for excuses to argue with each other. Can’t you just have copious amounts of angry sex like a normal couple instead?”  
  
“There are very few people I know who could say that with a straight face while giving a lecture.” Three heads turned to see that Rhodey had arrived, Pepper with him. Normally she would have taken the private jet with them but she had ‘business’, of a nature which she would not disclose, to attend to first which forced her to arrive in Washington DC separately. “And considering that was all I heard you say I really don’t want to know what you were talking about,” he added. Danielle smiled in relief; the presence of others would diffuse the tension caused by the three of them alone.  
  
“We’re going to head in now. Good luck,” Pepper said giving two thumbs up before she and Rhodey settled into the courtroom. “They’re going to need it,” she whispered to Rhodey as they sat down in the middle aisle. “Did you see the look on Dani’s face? She wasn’t this angry about it before. Something happened.”  
  
“Yeah, I saw,” he whispered back. “Why do you think I said I didn’t wanna know what they were talking about? She looked like she was giving them the verbal lashing of a lifetime.”  
  
“Poor thing is under so much stress and scrutiny and she’s only sixteen. The pressure must be getting to her.”  
  
“I doubt it’s easy on any of them.”  
  
The two waited with bated breath until the family was called in, Danielle storming in front of her parents and maintaining a sizable distance. She took her seat and slumped down, arms folded over her chest. Steve and Tony sat on opposite sides of her. There was a buzz of murmuring behind them; this was Danielle’s first official public appearance.  
  
“Alright, let’s get this over with,” Senator Stern said into his microphone as he straightened out the paperwork in front of him.  
  
“A pleasure seeing you again too, senator. Surprised you’re still in office.”  
  
“I’m surprised you’re still **alive** ,” Danielle added shocked. “I thought you died from a brain aneurism…or old age…”  
  
“Right, and speaking of age, let’s get right to the point. How can you two justify a sixteen-year-old using one of your Iron Man suits?”  
  
“First of all,” Danielle began, “it’s called the DIGITIAL model 1. I’m not Iron Girl. Second, age is just a number and only as restricting as you allow it to be. My father is over one-hundred now, in his nineties when he joined the Avengers, and he’s as spry as ever.”  
  
“I can personally attest to that,” Tony added causing Steve to drop his forehead into his hand. Pepper was backhanding Rhodey in the chest when he started laughing. Just as with Tony’s first court appearance with the senator, those in attendance were highly amused.  
  
“OK people, point of order.”  
  
“We’re using Robert’s Rules? Then point of personal privilege. It’s really warm in here.” The teen started fanning herself with her hand. “Can someone turn the heat down a little in here? Do be mindful of the fact that you can’t object to a point of personal privilege.” Rolling his eyes Stern muttered to the delegate to his left, “Can you get someone to turn the heat down in here?”  
  
“I believe you called a point of order, senator. To answer your question, Danielle was born with cybernetic implantations in her skeletal and nervous system. She has the natural ability to fuse with any of the suits Tony’s built. Because she has ‘superheroes’ for parents it’s inevitable that at some point in her life she may find herself in a situation where she would need some sort of offensive and defensive mechanism of her own.”  
  
“So you anticipate that your child will be put in danger because of your lifestyle?”  
  
“Yours would too,” Danielle retorted. “Don’t politicians get death threats on a regular basis? At least I can blow up anyone who would try to hold me for ransom. That’s not to say I use it irresponsibly. It’s a backup plan, that’s all. I know it’s not a toy or something to be used on a whim. So what’s this really about? You gave my dad and Rhodey medals of honor after they destroyed what’s-his-nuts-”  
  
“Ivan Vanko and Justin Hammer.”  
  
“Yeah, those dudes. And now you’re suddenly back in douchebag mode because someone who hasn’t passed her driver’s ed test is flying around in a mini, femme, Iron Man suit. Well that’s great, good, grand because it shows that you care so much about the well-being of the youth and your constituents in general. Unlike what you did during what happened seventeen years ago.” She folded her arms over her chest, nodding and grinning smugly.  
  
“And…what would that be?” the senator asked confused.  
  
“You care so much about the people of New York that when it was attacked you ran away like a bitch to cower under a desk here in DC with the rest of your federal frenemies, leaving the job to the Avengers. They should at the very least get a key to the city or something for that. And you’re surprised there are sixteen-year-olds running around in mechanized suits? We have to do your job for you!” she exclaimed, jumping up in her seat and pointing at him. The audience behind her was cheering. Tony leaned over and muttered to Steve, “I’m glad we pissed her off. Look at all this pent up rage it’s caused her to unleash.”  
  
“I hate to admit it, but she’s right. Then they tried to lie about what happened and take credit themselves.”  
  
“Oh, my apologies, I think my father has something to say.” Danielle pushed Steve’s microphone towards him, who was shaking his head in protest. “I heard you. Don’t think everyone else did though. Go on, tell this representative of the constituents of the state of New York, the home of the Statue of Fucking Liberty exactly what Captain America thinks about _that_ nonsense.”  
  
 _Put me on the spot why don’t you…_ “Senator, I would have to agree with my daughter. Not only did you do nothing to try and assist the people of New York such as order an evacuation, you and numerous other members of the federal government tried to cover it up as a terrorist attack and then take the credit for both discovering and stopping it yourselves. And if that isn’t unpatriotic and cowardly, I don’t know what is.”  
  
“Ya gonna argue with a decorated World War II veteran?” she challenged. “You say the parenting skills of the two gentlemen beside me are questionable but I sir most humbly disagree, and am morally compelled to approbate them for being able to tolerate my intransigence and acerbic tongue, along with being born a superhuman. In other words, there are no two people more suited for the job of raising someone like me –an adolescent with cybernetically infused biochemistry and super speed and strength, who also happens to be quite the brat at times- than Anthony Stark and Steven Rogers. And if you have a problem with that you can take your complaints and shove them so far up your ass not even a proctologist could surgically extract them.”  
  
“You might actually enjoy it,” Tony added with a suggestive wink.  
  
 _Shit, it really is hot in here_. She rolled up the sleeves of her blouse and prepared another talking point but before she could get a word out Stern learned forward and calmly asked, “Then please explain to the folks at home that bruise on your arm.”  
  
“…you mean this bruise?” She pointed to mostly faded mark on her arm from her training session with her father. Steve bit his lip and Tony cursed under his breath.  
  
“What’s he talking about?” Rhodey whispered to Pepper as an awkward hush fell over the formerly boisterous crowd. “She had a hand-to-hand physical training session with Steve,” Pepper explained. “I heard she banged him up quite nicely, but she ended up with a huge bruise on her arm. It’s mostly faded by now but you can tell by the shape…or at least surmise…how it was received.” The lieutenant colonel mouthed out the word ‘Fuck’.  
  
“Unless you have other bruises on you then yes, that one right there.” The cameras filming for C-Span zoomed in on her arm. There was no way Danielle could explain the training session conducted by her father without making it sound as though she was literally living in a life-threatening environment, at least not that she could think of. Especially not when the entire nation had its eyes fixated on her. She gulped. _Stream of consciousness…activate!_  
  
“I received this bruise…by accident. It’s one thing for someone like me to have a suit I can fuse with, but if super strength and speed are left unattended they can become out of control. None of my family nor I wanted that to happen, so my father insisted on training me in a way only appropriate for someone with my natural-born capacities. Neither of us held back, and I walked away with just this bruise. I know sharing this could hurt our case but that’s the difference between me and you, buddy. I’m not being honest to show my parents were able to instill some sense of virtue in me. It’s to prove that even in the face of opposition I will tell the truth, despite what it might do to my image, instead of try to save face. For the record your face is beyond saving so you might wanna dip into some of that taxpayer money and get a facelift. We all knew the risks, but lemme ask you this, seeing as you’re a member of the NRA. What would you rather do- say ‘guns are bad’ and you can’t touch them without explaining why, or provide adequate safety training but no real incentive to use them except under special circumstances? Because that’s what this is. I need to know what I’m capable of so I can be sure not to do it unless it’s necessary, so I can know what the potential risks are to be able to avoid them, so I can get it under control to the point where it doesn’t need to constantly be monitored. You can’t avoid risks with ignorance, that’s how you breed them. And you can never play it safe if you wanna stay safe. That’s why we have the Avengers and we rely on the Avengers instead of a bunch of people sitting behind desks signing papers and arguing in Congress. Am I on the roster? No. But just as the people of New York, the people of the fucking planet, have come to see the Avengers as both a weapon and a shield I need to know how to protect myself, and I was born…hatched…breached with the ability to do so. It would be stupid not to cultivate that. You think that’s bad parenting, but to me that shows my parents think I’m responsible. They trust me.” _And yet I’m lying about knowing about Loki…Damn it Dani, you’re on national TV. Feel guilty about that later, you’re on a roll!_ “Just because you don’t trust me doesn’t mean they made a mistake. Their placing that trust in me is one of the greatest ways a parent can take responsibility, as opposed to trying to shelter me from all the ‘dangers’ out in the world that they better than anyone else would know of.”  
  
“Steve was in the military, he had responsibility engrained into him. Case and point, he knows not to send his soldier into the front lines without a helmet.” Danielle curled her lips inwards in a futile attempt to suppress her laughter, unlike the audience behind her, as Tony brought some comic relief back into the court room. “See? Look at that! Another example of honesty, one of the few virtues they’re sorta managing to weave into my brain. My dad just admitted on national television that he’s bottom!” Steve was wide eyed and beet red while Tony looked slightly insulted. “Switch,” he corrected. “We’re in the Avengers for fuck’s sake, teamwork is what we do.”  
  
“Why are you getting so defensive?”  
  
“Why do you want to know about your parent’s sex life?”  
  
“I don’t need to ask, dad. Those walls aren’t as thick as you think.”  
  
“Point of fucking order,” the senator demanded, trying to get both the audience and the Rogers-Stark clan back on track. Hoping to do just that Steve began, “Senator Stern, I guess I’m a little confused as to what exactly it is you hope to accomplish here. Because so far all we’ve managed to establish is that Danielle needed a suit of her own and proper training after facing accusations of, and I quote from your letter…” He pulled the folded up piece of paper out of his pocket and smoother it out on the table. “‘Questionable parenting and deliberately putting your child in a series of dangerous situations’. You claimed to have film and photographic evidence of this but all we’ve done so far in terms of ‘putting her in dangerous situations’ is make sure that the suit isn’t dysfunctional –God forbid it blow up while she’s inside!- and accompany Tony on three patrols. She’s never fought any beings from other dimensions or taken on Nazis. You have yet to provide anything indicating questionable parenting. She is a little mouthy, yes, but she’s also an adolescent and a correct one at that. If we didn’t trust her then she wouldn’t have a suit, end of story.”  
  
“Well to be fair I did pinkie promise, and I take my pinkie promises very seriously. You see Stern, there’s this radical concept known as ‘keeping your word’, which as a politician I’m sure is very alien to you but it’s something I like to try and adhere to. When I care that is. And that promise was to build her one of her own, not necessarily let her operate it. Though she has yet to pass her driver’s ed test I still trust her with the suit. She hasn’t done anything noteworthy to violate my trust ever, now that I think about it. Except for that one time when she was seven and she stole some brownies from the fridge and then blamed the dog…the dog that never existed. But that’s her first and so far only offense.”  
  
 _Shut up about trusting me, PLEASE shut up! Stop saying nice things about me and just go back to arguing with each other over petty nonsensical nonsense…_ “Yeah, what they said. So prove to me, to us, to everyone at home watching this as it’s broadcasted exactly how my parents are doing a shitty job. I think you’re being a homophobic and biphobic jackass, but that’s just me, I’m only a kid. What do I know? So where is this photographic and film evidence anyway? I suppose it doesn’t really matter because it’s like it could be denied now. Or even would be, for that matter. But who gathered this information?”  
  
“A concerned citizen of your state who wishes only to be identified by the initials T.G.”  
  
 _Note to self, learn Tabitha’s last name._ “And they just happened to be armed with a camera and video camera at the time?”  
  
“Would that constitute as stalking otherwise?” Tony asked.  
  
 _She said she’s an Iron Man fan, and I was with dad at the time…I should run that by Loki- WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!_ “Alright, so a concerned citizen sent it. But you still have yet to demonstrate how my parents have failed at raising me properly. I really feel that this is just an attempt to vilify my dad after the showdown you guys had way back in the day, even though you did award him and Rhodey with medals afterward. So either you did so with reluctance or something has happened between then and now to change your opinion of him, and you’re using my family and my suit as a pretext.”  
  
“Things certainly have changed. After being rejected by countless adoption agencies for leading a ‘dangerous lifestyle’ as superheroes they decided to create a child of their own in a laboratory. As if the suits weren’t enough Mr. Stark, you just had to find a way to construct a child too.”  
  
“Construct? Dani isn’t made out of Legos. She was created with genetic material just like every other human being. Was her birth unconventional? Absolutely. But so is giving birth in water and that’s like, all the rage with women now from what I hear. Bottom line, she is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me and I’ll be damned more than I already am if I don't do everything within my capabilities to protect her. But she’s a young adult now and I have to trust her to learn to protect herself, or rather learn to trust her to protect herself.”  
  
“Tony and I won’t always be around. If anything ever happened to her because I hadn't started physically training her and teaching her how to use her God-given gifts to take care of herself, then I failed her as a parent. I could never forgive myself, nor would I expect her to forgive me.”  
  
 _A pathos argument? Really guys? OK maybe father, sure, but dad, what the hell? Where’s the Stark sass? Did I siphon it from you today or something?_ Taking a deep breath, she finally sat back down, arms folded on the table. _I need to get the hell out of here. All this talk about trust…Fuck and a half. Time to bring out the big guns._ “In your letter you also mentioned something about social services becoming involved. After hearing all of this, would you really try and take me away from my parents?” She braced herself, and unleashed the most pathetically adorable pout she could muster. “What more do they need to do to prove they love me and just want what’s best for me? And how they’re doing all they can to give me that and then some?”  
  
Any protest or counter Stern would have vocalized would have fallen on deaf ears. Danielle’s pout had been perfected over the course of almost seventeen years and it took no prisoners. “Shouldn’t a superkid be raised by superdads?” she asked, pitch slightly higher to match the facial expression.

* * *

  
 **Avenger’s Mansion**  
  
  
Back home in New York where the others were crowded around the TV watching the hearing Bruce was slightly slack-jawed, Natasha shook her head smiling and dropped a cheek into her palm, Clint laughed, and Thor looked utterly confused.  
  
“The pout? Really Dani? I can’t believe she’s using that to win. That crowd is just eating it up…”  
  
“You can’t honestly be surprised Nat,” Clint replied with a raised eyebrow. “It’s _Dani_. She’s cute and she knows it. She’s not afraid to use that to manipulate people.”  
  
“I can’t believe it’s actually working,” Bruce remarked.  
  
“What helmet was Tony referring to? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the Captain wear one into combat before…Only his mask.”  
  
“He didn’t mean it literally, it…Never mind Thor. It’s just a stupid Midgardian sexual innuendo,” the red head replied. “Which Tony used on national TV. Wow. I thought Steve’s presence might deter some of that behavior but…wow.”  
  
“Oh, and one more thing,” Danielle said into microphone before Stern called for an adjournment. “You’re not getting my suit either. I don’t like sharing. And I don’t like you.”  
  
“I can’t wait to see the updates on her Wikipedia page after this. Did anyone else get the impression that Stern didn’t have much of an argument, rather he only wanted to argue? Just to target them?”  
  
“I was thinking the same thing, Bruce,” the marksman agreed. Natasha nodded. “Same here. Someone’s pulling his strings. And considering who he’s targeting I doubt it was another politician.”  
  
“Are you suggesting this was an elaborate ruse orchestrated by a new foe?”  
  
“It could’ve been your brother for all we know,” she replied. “No one knows where he is or what he’s doing.”


	14. Missing Pieces

**Earlier That Evening**  
  
  
“Alright, well don’t let me keep you. You have a plane to catch. Let me know when you’re back in New York and we can plan something then. I’m looking forward to it too. I’ll see you later. Bye.” Natasha turned off her cell phone and set it on her desk beside her laptop, returning to hacking local security and traffic cameras to try catch even the slightest hint of Loki’s potential location. A knock on her door interrupted her careful, meticulous scanning of the footage. “It’s open,” she called, pausing the footage.  
  
“Hey Nat,” Clint said as he opened the door. “Got a minute or two to spare?”  
  
“I suppose. What do you need?” He closed the door and leaned against the wall behind him, folding his arms over his chest. “I just wanted to apologize for how I’ve been acting lately. I was surprised and a pretty hurt, but instead of turning into a recluse I should’ve…I don’t know…Been more mature about it, I guess.”  
  
“According to whom? Anyone would be caught off guard by what I told you, especially considering what you had been thinking.”  
  
“I’ve been doing some more thinking since then and even though I was way off, I just wanted to let you know I still care about you. You’re my best friend after all, and I don’t know how many people you’ve told but I’m glad you trusted me enough to tell me, and I’ll do what I can to be as supportive as possible.” She chuckled. “Supportive? I told you I’m a lesbian, not dying of a terminal illness.”  
  
“I’ve never had someone come out to me before, I don’t what to say!” he exclaimed, sounding utterly clueless. “Eventually how I feel will change but in the mean time I hope it doesn’t interfere with our friendship.”  
  
“You should know me better than that.”  
  
“Can you blame me for being worried about possibly losing my best friend?” She shrugged sympathetically. “No, I can’t. And I do appreciate the sentiment Clint, I really do.”  
  
“And hey, there’s a way we both benefit from this too. We can bond over ogling women together,” he suggested with a grin. She raised an eyebrow and then shook it off. “I guess that’s better than what I thought you were going to suggest.”  
  
“What’s that?”  
  
“Potential for a threesome.”  
  
“…right, I would never-”  
  
“Get out of my room!” she yelled throwing her phone at him.

* * *

  
**Present Time, Stark Private Jet**

  
The ride back to New York from Washington DC was awkward and uncomfortably quiet. Danielle sat on one end of the cabin killing time and avoiding her parents with her laptop. On the other side Steve and Tony were talking quietly amongst themselves.  
  
“She’s right, you know.”  
  
“Yeah, I know.” Tony sighed in frustration. “I hearken it up to the Loki situation. It’s the problem, not a symptom of a deeper issue.” Steve nodded. “I agree. Regardless, we haven’t been handling it well and it’s clearly taking a toll on Dani. I’ve been in the workout room more, you’ve been spending more time in the lab and drinking-”  
  
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he snapped. Steve bit his lip. “That was poorly worded. I’m not accusing you of anything, I’ve just noticed you’re drinking a little more and considering you did have an alcoholic phase before I’m just slightly concerned. That’s all. But neither of us are handling this well. We’re both hiding away in our, what are they called? Man caves?” Tony nodded, looking slightly amused. “We’ve been avoiding the problem, and I think we’ve been avoiding each other too because most of the time we are together we argue over something. There’s no spending time together for the sake of spending time together.”  
  
“So what do we do, take an evening off and go out on a date to reconnect?” he asked sarcastically. “That’s a little difficult for a celebrity couple living in New York, in case the past seventeen years haven’t taught you anything.”  
  
“Of course they have! And I don’t want to see any of that fall apart or thrown away because we aren’t able to find a way to settle our disputes less…aggressively. As well as stop arguing over the stupid little things we’re picking fights over too.”  
  
“It says a lot when your teenage daughter ends up being the one to call you out on arguing with your spouse too much.” Tony leaned back in his chair and sighed. “We’ll figure something out.”  
  
“We’re in the Avengers for fuck’s sake, teamwork is what we do,” Steve joked. His husband grinned. “Couldn’tve said it better myself. Except I did.”  
  
On the other side of the cabin a quiet Danielle was curled up in her seat, laptop resting on the folding desktop attached to the seat. She logged in to her student email to send her pseudo-English teacher a quick message requesting Tabitha’s last name. As soon as her inbox loaded she saw it had exploded with new messages, which she gathered to be from other students judging from the server the emails were sent from. _What the…? Oh shit, now I’M a celebrity. What’s in store for me now? Reality TV offers, my own comic series, a fan site, anime renditions on Deviant Art…and…_ She shuddered. _‘Mature’ fan art. Lovely. I didn’t think one court appearance would be enough to become so…popular. This is new. School is going to suck. Autographs, autographs, autographs._ She sighed as she scrolled through the immense list until one particular email caught her eye. She eagerly opened it, the subject titled ‘Theory’.  
  
 _I already know what you’re thinking. Tabitha’s last name is Gosling. Let me know when you return to New York, I need to speak with you immediately._  
  
She hit reply and began typing. _Theory of a dire nature I take it?_ Less than three minutes after sending it she received a response.  
  
 _I’ll say no more; don’t want to leave a paper trail._  
  
She knit her brow in confusion. _Well that’s hardly comforting._ She looked out the window, able to make out the familiar shapes of the looming buildings and bright lights in the concrete jungle she called home.

* * *

  
 **????**  
  
“You were supposed to procure the bargaining chip, and instead she verbally destroyed you!”  
  
“What was I supposed to do?! I hardly had an argument to justify taking her away from her family!”  
  
“We gave you time. We gave you resources. You have no one to blame but yourself for that.” There was a struggle. The sound of the safety trigger being deactivated was met with a muffled plea for mercy, responded to by the sound of a gunshot, followed by a thud and an irritated sigh. “You humans are useless.”

* * *

  
 **Next Day, End of the Final Period, Loki’s Office**  
  
  
The depowered demi-God waited impatiently for fifteen minutes for Danielle to arrive. For someone who prided herself in punctuality she had chosen the worst time to be late for once. He paced back and forth in anticipation, stopping when he heard the pounding of footsteps and his door slam shut, a panting Danielle slumped against it. Her face was red and she was breathing heavily. “Holy shit…” she muttered as she tried to catch her breath. “They don’t stop. They just…don’t stop. All day…autographs, pictures, and someone asked me my bra size…All day…I have been chased, cornered, badgered with questions and demands…” She leaned her head back and sighed. “I don’t wanna be famous,” she whined.  
  
“It’s preferable to infamy,” he replied as she set her backpack down and pulled out his desk chair, sitting cross legged. “Trust me.” She put her fist over her mouth, chest shaking as she tried in vain to stifle her laughter. He narrowed his eyes at her. “For someone whose life could be in immediate danger you’re rather chipper .”  
  
“Did you…not hear…what you just said?” she asked, words punctuated through snorts and chuckles. “You…told me…to trust you!” She put her hands over her mouth and broke into a massive giggle fit, face as bright as a tomato. He rolled his eyes. “You are the epitome of maturity,” he said facetiously. “Now quiet down and listen carefully. And for the love of Yggdrasil don’t slam my door.”  
  
She took a few deep breaths to relax her body, which felt like she had broken into another mad sprint to avoid a mob of fans. “Alright, I think I’m good. So my life could be in immediate danger, huh? Please share.”  _This is fun, playing detective!_  
  
“It’s safe to assume that Tabitha was the one who sent the evidence to that politician. According to you she at some point made mention of being an Iron Man fan. It would make perfect sense then that she would be trying to capture footage and still frames of him, wouldn’t it?”  
  
“Yeah…and while doing so she accidentally got some of me as well.”  
  
“I believe so. Think back to a few weeks ago. Did she become more cordial with you as soon as I arrived as we initially thought, or after you received your suit?” She tapped her chin in thought. “I can’t put an exact calendar date on it but it wasn’t immediate. It was after the suit. After the accidental capturing of me with my dad.”  
  
“Why would someone your age be so desperate to get close to Iron Man that she would try to go through you to do so? There are other avenues, seeing as he revels in his celebrity status.”  
  
“Tch. Don’t remind me. Going through me is the ‘life in danger’ part, I’m guessing. Then she doesn’t want to get closer to my dad because she’s a fan. She’s hiding something, like a vendetta. Is that what you’re getting at?”  
  
“Something to that effect. And why would someone her age have reason to do that? They wouldn’t.”  
  
“So she’s hiding a helluva lot more than just a motive.”  
  
“It’s still very much a work in progress but yes, that is what I believe. What would she have gained had your court hearing not been successful?”  
  
“Well social services might have been able to make a case to justify taking me away from my parents. This is starting to sound like a kidnapping plot,” she realized. “That would explain why Stern’s arguments were so terrible. Someone was pulling his strings. He was just desperately throwing things together to try and make an argument to get me away from them. Wait. Wait, wait, wait. How could she have known where my dad would be? She couldn’t. He created this really complex algorithm to create new patrol routes for a three month period, alternating between them biweekly. Someone couldn’t know how to find him unless they know about how he calculates his routes and his rotation patterns. And someone my age couldn’t do that. Not because of lack of intelligence, but because it would take for-fucking-ever to figure it out, and a lot of observation. It would take years upon years to do it! If I had to guess at least fifteen.”  
  
“Fifteen?” He quickly turned his head in her direction. “That confirms my belief that the girl might not be human.”  
  
“Why would someone be spying on him for a minimum of fifteen years? What happened that long ago that-?…The New York attack. When my dad threw the nuke at the Chitauri ship he only killed those here on Earth and those in the ship, right? Is it possible that they would want revenge for that? And ever since the attack have had a spy pretending to be human, watching him and waiting for the right moment to strike?”  
  
“It’s a little farfetched but knowing the Chitauri I certainly wouldn’t put it past them…An interesting theory.”  
  
“Then you’re screwed too,” she pointed out. “They’re vengeful. They lost their entire army that day. An army that was promised to you…in exchange for the Tesseract. Which they never received. I’ve known Tabitha since middle school; she didn’t arrive when you did. But if I’m on the right track not only did they know you would be coming here to finish out your sentence, they knew where you would be. Which would mean there’s a traitor in Asgard. Oh fuck!” She clapped a hand over her mouth. He was tense enough as is after coming to the realization that an entire alien race might have their sights set on him for revenge as well so Danielle’s sudden look of sheer panic didn’t help his situation in the slightest.  
  
“What?”  
  
“If there’s a traitor in Asgard supplying them with information about you, who knows what else they could be supplying them with?”  
  
“Elaborate.”  
  
“I doubt anyone there would just hand over the Tesseract unless they, like you, had reason to such as making a bargain. But it would be very hard for this snitch to be in contact with them and keep it a secret that Asgard and the Tesseract are currently unprotected. Unprotected because of information probably deliberately kept from you. And the person who was behind you not finding out is probably our snitch.  Asgard is screwed because of the Odinsleep.”  
  
“Asgard isn’t entirely unprotected, but it certainly isn’t safe. Right now Sif and the Warriors Three would be charged with leading the army should it be warranted.”  
  
“And they have been since the Odinsleep began, I’m guessing.”  
  
“There are few more suitable.”  
  
“In other words because she’s technically Thor’s wife she vicariously has his authority as crown prince, at least in his absence. Because it would make far more sense for Tyr to be in charge of any military forces. Favoritism at play I’m guessing?”  
  
“Naturally.”  _Thank you for reminding me..._  
  
“If Tabitha is a Chitauri spy and they’re trying to get revenge on my dad AND you, it can’t be a coincidence that she’s in the class of the human teacher you’re posing as. Someone who knew about your power-stripped banishment would have informed them before you even arrived. It was decided upon years ago that you would end up here, leaving ample time for all these pieces to fall into place. Which would also explain how she ended up in the same class as Iron Man’s daughter and never really socialized with me until recent.”  
  
“If she was in contact with Senator Stern in hopes that you would be taken from your family, she will continue to try. Now would probably be the appropriate time to mention she was absent yesterday, the day of your court appearance.”  
  
“…I think I’m going to fly home today.”  
  
“Danielle, you need to tell them.”  
  
She shook her head. “Not without more conclusive evidence.”  
  
“No you insolent child, I meant about me. You need to tell them," he repeated.  
  
“But-”  
  
“Your life or your parents’ trust in you, take your pick,” he interrupted briskly. She folded her arms over her chest and sank down in the chair. “Wouldn’t it just be easier for me to take her out myself?” she grumbled.  
  
“Good luck when she calls for reinforcements.”  
  
“Alright, fine, I’ll do it. On one condition,” she said holding up one finger. “Tell me why you care so much about my well-being. This has nothing to do with your sentence, this is about me. And I wanna know why.  You have six reasons to hate me, all of whom I live with, and yet here you are giving me advice to try and protect me.  Pretty much what I've been doing for you.  How come?” He thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Ladies first.” She groaned obnoxiously. “Fine. Asshole. I’ll tell them tonight. Oh, shit, I still haven’t turned in that essay have I?”  
  
“Inconsequential. Do it when you have the time.”  
  
“Yay, special treatment!”

* * *

  
 **That Evening, Avenger’s Mansion**  
  
  
“Where the hell is Dani? It’s almost five. And Natasha for that matter. Where did she run off to?”  
  
“I have no idea Tony,” Clint said, his eyes glued to the television as the inventor paced anxiously behind the couch. “But you’re not gonna believe this.” He grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.  
  
 _”Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Stern was found dead early this morning in a back alley of the Queens borough. According to the autopsy report he was shot executioner style after being bound and gagged. There are currently no leads or suspects at this time. Anyone with information is urged to call…”_ He looked behind the couch. “What do you make of that? The day after he failed to essentially take away your daughter and her suit, with basically no argument at that, he’s murdered.”  
  
“…find out where the hell Natasha is. We’ll scour the entire east coast, the entire country if it comes to that. Because that to me right there says someone was using Stern to get to Dani and when he failed they decided to try and do it themselves.”  
  
“You think she was kidnapped?” he asked as he turned off the TV. He thought Tony was jumping to conclusions out of parental paranoia. “Who could kidnap her if she has the suit?”  
  
“Anyone, now that the entire world knows she has one that they need to look out for. What more of an invitation do you need?! Get off the fucking couch and get moving!”


	15. Visitors

“Wait, run that by me again J.A.R.V.I.S.?”  
  
“Because of your tardiness in coming home and the recent assassination of Senator Stern, your dad assumed that you have been kidnapped and now he and the rest of the Avengers are currently searching the city for you.” Danielle smacked her forehead as she set her backpack down on her bed. “You’ve got to be kidding me…Put him on the line so I can tell him he’s a paranoid idiot and I’m fine.” She made her way down the hallway to kitchen.  
  
“Right away Danielle.”  
  
“Thanks J.A.R.V.I.S.” She absentmindedly twirled her purple pendant around as she searched through the fridge for something that was high in sugar content. “Maybe they won’t get so mad at me if I’m giddy as shit when I tell them the news,” she whispered to herself as static started to echo throughout the building as J.A.R.V.I.S. brought up the line.  
  
“Dad, what the shit is wrong with you?” Danielle yelled as she closed the fridge door, half the remains of a New York style cheesecake in her hand. “I’m home. Right now. And you’re paranoid.”  
  
“Jesus Christ, where were you?!” he demanded. She dropped the paper plate onto the countertop and covered her ears. “DON’T yell when you’re on the main line IN THE FRICKEN’ HOUSE. You’ll give me hearing loss. I stayed a little late to talk to one of my teachers, and then I flew home. But now that I’m being swarmed by mobs of fans I took the long way to try and lose ‘em. Just landed on the rooftop not long ago to de-suit and right now I’m getting…dinner. Kinda.”  
  
“J.A.R.V.I.S., bring up the security cameras.” She rolled her eyes. “Really? You need visual confirmation it’s me?” One of the cameras, which he believed to be cleverly hidden as a refrigerator magnet zoomed in on her as she spun on her heel and stuck her middle finger up in front of it. “How’s that for visual confirmation?” she asked, opening one of the drawers to grab a fork.  
  
“No need to be a brat about it. We’re heading ba..igh…ow.” She looked around confused. “J.A.R.V.I.S., what’s wrong with the audio?”  
  
“Something is jamming the signals, one moment please.”  
  
 _That…isn’t supposed to happen._ “Hey dad, can you still hear me? J.A.R.V.I.S. said the signal is getting jammed.”  
  
“I…an..barel…ear..you…Doesn’t matt…we’re…lmos…ther…”  
  
“Alright, see you in a bit. And next time call me instead of freaking out, if it’s not asking too much.”  
  
The line went to static and then cut out completely. Danielle felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. “J.A.R.V.I.S., what’s going on? What’s interfering with you right now?”  
  
“I’m not quite sure but it’s not external.” She dropped her fork. “What?! You mean something from inside the tower is fucking with you?”  
  
“To put it bluntly, yes. I’m running as many scans as possible right now to diagnose the problem and locate the source but it will require some time…”  
  
“OK…Just don’t go HAL 9000 on me, got it?” She picked her fork back up, hand shaking, but no longer had an appetite. _Damn it, now I’m getting paranoid!_ She took a few deep breaths and went back to the rooftop to wait for her dad, and to get some fresh air. She felt the same nerve-wracking sensation she had when J.A.R.V.I.S. said the problem was internal and gulped. _I think it’s time to suit up…_ Before she could a searing pain pierced her stomach from behind and she fell to her knees, coughing up blood. She looked over her shoulder but before she could form even a sliver of a coherent thought something blunt and heavy hit her on the head, sending her senses into an abyss.  
  
Iron Man landed on the rooftop not even five minutes later and J.A.R.V.I.S. was back online. “What happened while I was talking to Dani?” he asked as the walkway began plucking off pieces of his armor. When he walked inside J.A.R.V.I.S. was bringing up the footage taken after his conversation with Danielle was cut short. “I’m not quite sure but whatever it was, it’s happened before. Something within proximity managed to cut off my ability to establish any communication beyond the tower, rendering me incapable of interfacing with anything not hooked up to me.”  
  
“What do you mean it happened before?”  
  
“About seventeen years ago. When New York was attacked. Whatever technology the Chitauri have on their person, or perhaps part of their person, stopped me from operating outside the building. Otherwise I would have shut down that portal myself, or at the very least tried. But that isn’t the most pressing matter right now.”  
  
“I know, I should probably go apologize to Dani. Where is she? Back up. You said this hasn’t happened since the Chitauri were running around New York like monkeys on steroids.”  
  
“An interesting comparison sir, and yes, that is correct. If you would please direct your attention to the footage I’m attempting to broadcast…” J.A.R.V.I.S. picked up from when Danielle just ended her conversation with Tony. As he began smoothing out the somewhat blurred images the rest of the Avengers had one-by-one returned, all in time to see the image of Danielle being shot, bludgeoned, and dragged away onto the back of what appeared to be a large, chrome, manually operated, flying transportation mechanism.  
  
“I’d know those things anywhere,” Natasha breathed, keeping her eyes off the pool of blood on the platform. “Those are what the Chitauri flew on. And…that’s a Chitauri…” She put an arm around her waist and her free hand over her mouth. “Of all the reasons for a date to be interrupted,” she whispered, breathing heavily as pressure built behind her eyes.  
  
“J.A.R.V.I.S., turn that off. Right now,” Tony commanded in a deadly calm voice. Clint, who himself was sniffling like mad as he tried not to cry, was comforting Natasha. Bruce had to immediately retreat to his private space or he ran the risk of losing his temper. Steve was at a loss for words. He had seen plenty of death on the front lines of combat and though he wasn’t desensitized to it he accepted it as a natural consequence of war; the image of his child having a hole blown through her stomach was enough to undo all of that, as though he was reliving his first experience of watching a brother in arms go down, filling him with unbridled dread and overwhelming nausea. Tony narrowed his eyes at Thor. “Taking his sentence seriously, huh?”  
  
“There is no evidence linking that Chitauri to my brother!” Thor yelled defensively.  
  
“Then why the hell else would a Chitauri be attacking and kidnapping **MY** daughter, blondie?!”  
  
“They hold no allegiance to him! If anything they probably despise him now, considering he never gave him what they wanted in exchange for an army, the very army you obliterated!”  
  
“So you’re saying this is my fault?! Those chrome fuckers want to get back at me?!”  
  
“I don’t think anyone is placing fault anywhere-”  
  
“Shut up Clint! Whose side are you on anyway?!”  
  
“This isn’t about picking sides Tony!” Natasha yelled, wiping her eyes. “We have more important things to scream at each other over, like how we’re going to get Dani back!”  
  
“Assuming she’s even alive,” Steve said quietly, almost morbidly, his blue eyes devoid of any emotion whatsoever. He seemed to be mentally absent, trying to avoid the painful reality and its potential implications. Before the argument could ensue the doorbell sounded, silencing everyone.  
  
“Sir, I don’t think you’re going to like who’s here.”  
  
“Tell Coulson to fuck off right now.”  
  
“It isn’t Agent Coulson. It would appear to be Loki, and unfortunately he isn’t selling Girl Scout cookies.”  
  
Tony’s acerbic response was interrupted by a thunderous roar coming from the direction of Bruce’s room. “Clint, go, sedate him right now,” Steve ordered, slowly regaining his composure. Without question or hesitation the marksman went to retrieve his sedative arrows and render the Hulk unconscious before he could cause any damage. The remaining four exchanged expectant stares, waiting for someone to say something.  
  
“Let him in. Send him up. I think it’s about time we had a chat with him.”  
  
“Yes sir.”  
  
Natasha rubbed her red eyes with the back of one hand and felt around her belt to make sure her gun was still on her person. Tony was seconds away from suiting up. Thor assumed nothing. Steve was starting to retreat into himself again. Tony nudged him. “Look alive, sunshine,” he said quietly in attempts to help him relax as they awaited the arrival of their surprise visitor.  
  
“Not now Tony…”  
  
“If we want Dani back we need to choke all the information we can out of him, and we can’t do that if we’re all choked up.”  
  
“You’re terrible at being reassuring.”  
  
“Yeah, I know, but that’s really the best I can do right now.”  
  
“Then I appreciate the effort I guess,” he replied, squeezing his hand. “I just can’t get the image out of my head. There…” He looked up in the direction of the tower platform. “There’s a puddle of blood up there…and it’s Dani’s…”  
  
Looking no different than the last time they had seen him, save for the attire, Loki casually strode in the room, inadvertently making himself appear even more guilty than he was already assumed to be. “I was under the assumption that she wasn’t going to say anything, though judging by the looks on your faces I’m guessing I might be wrong-”  
  
“You’ve got five seconds to-!”  
  
“Tony, hold on,” Natasha snapped and gulped, glaring at Loki. “I think we’re talking about two different things. You thought she was going to talk to us about something. You’ve been in contact with Dani.”  
  
“What?” Steve gasped.  
  
“Someone please explain to me how that isn’t even MORE incriminating!”  
  
Not far off was the sound of a heavy thud as the Hulk, now sedated by Clint’s special arrow, fell to the floor and slowly shrank back down to his normal human size. “What was that?” Loki asked startled.  
  
“That was Bruce flipping his shit because you decided it would be a grand idea to kidnap my daughter, that’s what the fuck that was!”  
  
 _What?  Dear Gods Danielle, what have you gotten yourself into?_ “Kidnap? I have no reason nor desire to kidnap Danielle-”  
  
“Loki,” Thor said calmly, “you need to explain how you know Danielle and exactly what she was supposed to tell us.”  
  
“She was supposed to tell you just that, as I advised she do. And that she’s been keeping the information a secret for almost two months now.”  
  
“Really? What a shame we weren’t able to have such a delightful conversation, because this just happened not even twenty minutes ago. J.A.R.V.I.S., please play the footage again. Muted this time,” he added after noticing how pale Steve was. Natasha shielded her eyes with a hand while Thor remained strangely stoic. Clint returned to the room just in time to see the adolescent’s midsection penetrated and jumped, a hand on his heart as he quickly looked away breathing heavily. Loki’s eyes widened in shock.  
  
“I…” He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. _Damn them_. Upon exhaling he looked over at his brother. “I can’t say this trial has been much of a success, developing an ‘appreciation’ for Midgard. But if Danielle’s theory is correct, and I sincerely hope it isn’t, then my opinion of Asgard is no better, if not worse.”  
  
“When the hell were you talking to Dani?” Clint asked with a threatening tone. “We were just getting to that,” Natasha replied. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this but…let the man talk. Otherwise all we have is…that footage. And I don’t know about the rest of you but I already want to gauge my eyeballs out so I never have to see anything so atrocious again. I have no intention of reviewing it for any clues.” She started to choke up again. “So, just, just talk already.”  
  
He knew they would only take his words with a grain of salt but he explained in full detail regardless. He spoke of his human persona leading him to Danielle, her insistence on protecting his secret, his insistence she remain a neutral party, their bizarre truce of sorts and even more bizarre amicable exchanges, shared suspicions of Tabitha Gossling (as the humans knew her), and eventually Danielle’s theory.  
  
Silence hung heavy in the room after he finished. From the looks on their faces he could infer they believed him to a degree, though he was certain they still thought he had a connection to her kidnapping and was feigning shock and concern. Suddenly he was bombarded with questions.  
  
“Who in Asgard would be willing to risk the security of our world, perhaps all of them, for this?”  
  
“I don’t know Thor but-”  
  
“They’re going to want the Tesseract in exchange for Dani, aren’t they?”  
  
“It would be safe to assume that Barton, however-”  
  
“We can’t just give them the Tesseract!”  
  
“I’m aware of that Romanov, though-”  
  
“Everyone be quiet,” Steve commanded sternly. He just received his second wind. “Before you answer any questions you need to explain one thing. Why do you care? Why do you care what happens to Dani? Why are you telling us all of this? Why did you urge her not to become involved? Why were you protecting her?”  
  
“Funny you ask, considering she asked me that earlier today. I owe her a debt, whether she realizes it or not. Everything she did, albeit foolishly and highly ill-advised, she always did with the interests of others in mind. Not once did she think to consider any repercussions until after the fact, and when the time came she seemed more than willing and able to take responsibility. That sort of selflessness…was highly unexpected to say the very least. Initially unwelcome but she delivered a brilliant lecture one night,” he said somewhat facetiously. “Suffice to say I was unpleasantly surprised to encounter of all things a young human who could hold her own in an argument against me. Since that night I have been giving her words more and more careful consideration. And at the very least she’s helped me develop greater patience.”  
  
“What did she say?” Steve asked, hardly surprised by now that Danielle had managed to heavily influence Loki’s way of thinking with her own sharp tongue. He shook his head. “Just a quote from a book. Her ability to assess one’s complexes is startling. I still have yet to radically alter my opinion of your race, but I have learned that there do exist exceptions. And I would prefer not to see that exception executed for my mistakes.”  
  
“J.A.R.V.I.S. are you recording this?”  
  
“Naturally sir. I’m sure Danielle would love to hear it after you retrieve her.” Loki winced slightly, anticipating a heavy dosage of mockery from the girl after she heard it.  
  
“Are you certain they’ll want the Tesseract for her?” Thor asked. He shrugged. “Not in the least, hence my use of the word ‘theory’. It’s also the reason I didn’t trust Danielle to keep her word. She wanted more conclusive evidence. Unfortunately she found it. Rather, it found her.”  
  
“Well I say we dig up what we can on this Tabitha girl,” Clint suggested. “We don’t know if that’s her in the footage or not. She could still be in town.”  
  
“That…injury. She’ll be able to heal from that, won’t she? Because of the serum?” Natasha asked with hints of desperation in her voice.  
  
“We don’t even know what she was hit with, but in my experience I’ve found the serum to be adaptable to the body’s needs. She should be okay…And they need her anyway, so they wouldn’t kill her. They wouldn’t kill her, right Loki?”  
  
“I doubt it. I’m almost entirely convinced they have their sights set elsewhere. That’s not to say she’s out of harm’s way though. Far from. The longer they have her the less they may feel they need her.”  
  
Steve folded his arms over his chest. “Right. Then here’s what I think we should do.”


	16. Slowly But Surely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There may appear to be a plot inconsistency or two here...Intentional, just to keep things fresh ;)

If not for her slightly elevated senses Danielle would have awoken in absolute darkness. She could distinguish shapes and figures but they meant absolutely nothing to her. As she slowly started coming to she felt something cold and tight, presumably metallic, binding her wrists and ankles against what she believed to be a wall. The wrist restraints had spikes in them that dug deep into her bone, almost completely penetrating through her body. She felt something warm and sticky trickling down her skin which she immediately deduced was her blood from the spikes embedded in her flesh. She wouldn’t be struggling to break free anytime soon. Her elbows were bent, hands near her head, and she had lost feeling in her hands as her circulation become progressively hindered. She was unbearably weak, dehydrated, and hungry. She felt sharp jolts in her stomach and the memory of being shot by something far more potent than a bullet began to resurface. Though she couldn’t say for certain what it was, she knew it came from energy source not unlike the repulsors in her suit. Her head was throbbing from being knocked unconscious and though she couldn’t reach up to feel it she was certain there was a bruise or the remnant of one.  
  
 _It’s a good thing I didn’t have **that** when we were in court. That would definitely reek of child abuse. I wonder if I could’ve convinced Stern that the old one was from furious masturbation?_  
  
“You’re finally awake sleepyhead,” a chipper and familiar voice giggled not too far from where she was standing. She heard light footsteps approach and stop in front of her. “Watching the hole in your stomach heal was so fascinating,” she remarked with glee, lightly poking Danielle in the abdomen. She winced causing her to squeeze her fists, pressing the spikes farther into her body. “It took awhile since you aren’t your father, but you still stitched yourself up quite nicely. You’ll have a nasty looking scary though. It’s sort of shaped like Iceland.”  
  
“What…do you want…?” she asked in a raspy voice, throat dry from thirst. Tabitha smirked. “What’s mine. No more, no less.” Her voice had changed dramatically. She sounded like a full-grown woman and had an accent reminiscent of Thor’s and Loki’s. Danielle narrowed her eyes at her. “That sure as shit…isn’t me…”  
  
“No, but you’re essential to getting to him.”  
  
“Come near my dad and I swear-”  
  
“Oh how cute, you’re trying to make threats despite your situation! You really are a delight. No, no, the Chitauri want your dad for killing so many of their people, and the Tesseract which they were promised. They did want to get back at Loki but after the deal we struck they said I could do with him as I see fit…as it should be.”  
  
“I knew it…A traitor in Asgard…You’re the traitor…”  
  
“You suspected an Asgardian traitor? My, you are clever! But you will never know who I am until I will it.”  
  
“Doesn’t really matter…I’ll blow your head off eventually…” She coughed, throat becoming extremely irritated. The Asgardian in disguise laughed again. “You certainly have moxie, little girl. But without your superdaddies here to protect you, you’re just that. A little girl. Nothing to be afraid of.”  
  
“Go ahead…and tell yourself that…” Her lips curled into a sneer and she smacked Danielle straight across the face so fiercely it echoed throughout whatever room they happened to be in.  
  
“I’m growing so tired of you…So very tired. But we still need you, for now anyway. It’s been a pleasure as always but if you’ll excuse me I need to get going.” Her voice changed back to that of her perky human alter ego. “I don’t want to be late for school.” As the sound of her footsteps grew more and more distant she heard her converse with someone, then ascend a stone staircase. Other footsteps grew near, these being unfamiliar but she could assume they were Chitauri. She leaned her head back against the wall and braced herself for whatever their intentions were. There were sounds of tumbling metal to her left clinking and clanking onto a solid surface. Someone emptied the contents of something full of metallic objects, but what they were she had no idea until she felt a thick blade carve into her forearm. Throat too coarse to scream in pain, Danielle blinked as her eyes adjusted to a small source of light coming to life. Sapphire orbs widened in fear as she watched the thick red stream of blood run down her body, staining her clothing as the blade was dragged downwards tracing along her barely visible veins. She pulled her tongue to the back of her mouth to avoid the risk of biting through it and told herself over and over again that the serum in genetic makeup would heal the wound soon enough. When her vision was sufficient enough it quickly occurred to her that the serum and her fast-paced regeneration and healing would work against her. She was in a torture chamber.

* * *

  
 **Natasha’s Room**  
  
  
Though hardly able to stomach the footage the assassins were the most perceptive members of the group and forced themselves to watch Danielle’s last moments on the tower top for any clues they may have missed initially. Even the expertly-trained eyes of Natasha and Clint were unable to find anything noteworthy. Danielle stepped out onto the rooftop, the Chitauri appeared, she was attacked, and then taken away.  
  
“Aside from the blatantly obvious,” Clint began, leaning over Natasha’s shoulder as she stopped the clip for the ninth time, “all this tells us is they knew where to find Dani. They were waiting for her.”  
  
“They must have known she would be home alone then,” Natasha pointed out. “Didn’t she say something about taking a long route back because of her ridiculously huge newfound fanbase?”  
  
“I’m pretty sure I know who was directing them…And if that Tabitha girl knows Tony’s patrol routes, she would know what areas to avoid to keep Dani away from him.”  
  
“And any other Chitauri in the area would be able to keep in contact with her and share our locations. Tabitha led her along a very specific path to keep her away from the rest of us, and once she was home this bastard right here was able to strike.”  
  
“Wouldn’t that also mean she knew Dani would be leaving school late? She said she was speaking with a teacher…who ended up being our uninvited guest.”  
  
“I don’t think Loki was responsible for this. He has just as much motive to have a beef with the Chitauri as we do. Well, not as much as we do now, but you know what I meant. They were on bad terms. The Chitauri probably want to skewer his ass. Not to mention all the information he’s spilling. And his reasons for being indebted to Dani…That sounds like something she would do. She may be more like Tony than Steve but she certainly inherited his altruistic and self-sacrificing streak. Not to mention being raised by superheroes makes it difficult to not develop some sense of justice. She legitimately wanted to help him.”  
  
“I’m still conflicted about all of that, mostly because I don’t want to admit how right you probably are. But that doesn’t explain how this attack was able to happen when it did. Someone knew Dani was with Loki after school. Does that mean they’re keeping tabs on him too?”  
  
She folded a leg over the other and rested an arm on her desk. “I don’t know,” she said shaking her head. “But it would seem like someone is spying on him too. And for some reason that someone has connected with the Chitauri. Maybe it’s the Asgardian spy Dani suspected.”  
  
“After what Loki did, why would someone in Asgard make a deal with them? It doesn’t add up.”  
  
“Not yet, but it will. If I had to guess though, it’s someone who has a personal issue with him and went to the Chitauri for aid. And Loki and Dani came to the conclusion that this is a plan that’s been brewing for quite some time, since the New York attack at the earliest. Maybe someone in Asgard is pissed off about that. More so than the others I mean.”  
  
“Then why would they go to the same people he tried to create an alliance with?”  
  
“…it could be about something more, something longstanding from Loki’s past. Something that he couldn’t have addressed while in prison. And if that’s the case, then the Asgardian spy would have known about the entirety of his punishment.”  
  
“Thor found out last minute. Aside from whoever Asgard’s queen is, who else would know something like that as soon as it’s decided?”  
  
“Someone with a close personal connection to him would be my guess.”  
  
“Like a wife?” he joked, amused by the thought of Loki being married. Her eyes lit up. “Yeah, like a wife.” She glanced over at her laptop screen and quickly closed it. “I swear, if I have to watch one more time I…” She began choking on her words again. “If we don’t get her back I’ll never forgive myself.”  
  
“I don’t think any of us will be able to forgive ourselves if we fail to find her and rescue her.” She abruptly rose and headed towards the tower’s top platform. “I need some air,” she said, wiping her eyes again. Clint followed after her, grabbing her arm. “Nat, wait. You don’t wanna go out there. That’s where the…the evidence is.” She bit her lip. “Bruce can barely control himself, Steve has shut down, Tony won’t put the bottle down, I can’t stop crying, you keep breaking down at twenty minute intervals, and Thor is too busy trying to console his brother who started bitching and whining about how this is all his fault and ‘he’s so sorry’.” She slammed a fist against the wall, gritting her teeth. “If Dani doesn’t come back home safely, I’ll make that son of a bitch sorry. I will gut him like a fucking fish!” She pressed her arm and forehead against the wall, staring down at the ground as angry tears began streaming down her face. “I will rip him apart with my bare hands and laugh while he begs for mercy,” she snarled. Sniffling and breathing heavily she turned to Clint. “The Captain had such a great plan too. And none of us can fucking function. By the way, I think it’s your turn to check on Tony and make sure he hasn’t passed out yet.”

* * *

  
 **Library**  
  
  
“I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised that there aren’t any mythology books here,” Natasha mumbled to herself in defeat as she browsed rows upon rows of books on physics, engineering, and mathematics (along with the occasional autobiography or biography of famous people from U.S. military history). “I’m sure Dani has something I could borrow.” She paused and hung her head. “Damn it. Damn it all. I suppose I could try looking in there anyway…”  
  
She wanted to begin researching her theory immediately but after breaking down the night prior she was unable to focus on anything, too miserably distracted by the image of Danielle’s assault playing over and over again in her head and postponed her endeavor until the next morning. Clint needed to stay awake and alert in case Bruce lost control again so he could sedate him and was unable to look into it himself. When Thor wasn’t with Loki, who Tony insisted stay with them so he could be under their scrutiny 24/7 he was isolating again, unavailable as a resource for the two assassins to utilize.  
  
Her heart weighed heavily in her chest as she approached Danielle’s bedroom and reached out a shaking hand to open the door. She slowly walked in and closed it behind her. It looked very lived in and she half-expected to see the teenager curled up on her bed or against a pillow on the floor, anywhere she could get comfortable, lost in her latest literary obsession or revisiting a classic. Instead her eyes were greeted by an empty bed, an empty desk, a pile of books with no one sifting through them, and a pile of clothes on the floor with no one complaining about having to hang them up. It was uncomfortably quiet. Natasha walked up to her bookshelf, which was arranged in accordance to the Dewey Decimal System, and ran her eyes along the rows in a serpentine motion until she found a comprehensive mythological dictionary. She pulled it out and began sifting through it, looking for the Norse section and an article on Loki. Hardly to her surprise it was extensive and she couldn’t help but chuckle when she skimmed over the story Thor had told her seventeen years ago about Loki’s gender-bending anthropomorphic experience.  
  
After flipping through his more infamous stories she finally stumbled upon the most important of all, in which he killed his step-brother and was chained to a rock with a snake hovering above him dripping its hot venom down onto his bare flesh. Despite having a mistress and having committed many atrocities one woman remained beside him through it all to the point where she tried to catch the venom to spare him from the pain. The book went on to say that he was to be chained there for eternity but there was a sticky note attached to the page with a message in Danielle’s handwriting.  
  
“‘According to Uncle Thor the punishment was temporary after she made a deal with Odin- she married him beforehand in hopes that her sweet and calm personality would sober Loki and deter him from causing trouble. Loki was forced into this marriage.  At some point he had an affair with Angrboda which continued into the marriage and was forcibly ended when their kids were found.  Had two more kids with his wife but they were killed after he killed Baldr and their insides were his restraints.  She convinced Odin that she had a positive influence on him and the punishment had been lifted.  Stayed out of major trouble until becoming King of Asgard.’” Her eyes widened. “Things are starting to become a little clearer,” she whispered to herself as she closed the book, planning on holding on to it for future reference. Standing in the doorway, she took one last look around Danielle’s bedroom and noticed the snow globe she bought was sitting on her desk next to her laptop. She forced a sad smile. _I knew she would love it._

* * *

  
 **That Afternoon, High School**  
  
  
“Ms. Gossling, a word if you don’t mind.” Tabitha approached Loki’s desk as the rest of the students filed out, her usual perky smile plastered across her human mask. “What can I do for you?” she asked sweetly. He slowly narrowed his eyes at her. “Where is she?” he demanded in a low, harsh whispered.  
  
“Where’s who?” she asked feigning confusion, unfazed by his demeanor.  
  
“Don’t make me repeat myself,” he growled. “What have you done with her?”  
  
“I didn’t do anything,” she replied as if her words were an obvious, universally accepted truth. “The Chitauri took her. I saw her earlier. She seemed to be okay. Relatively speaking, that is,” she added with a small laugh.  
  
 _…Danielle was right about a traitor in Asgard. This girl is no Chitauri. Then who is she?_ “Answer my first question. Where is she?”  
  
“With the Chitauri of course. They’re keeping an eye on her. So don’t worry, she’s in good company. Again, relatively speaking. It’s either them or their leader. Would you like to see her?” she offered and grabbed Loki’s hand, psychically teleporting him to the Chitauri realm so he could see for himself what had become of Danielle. She was covered in deep lacerations and bruises, all of which were naturally healing themselves freeing up the skin again for another series of thrashings and abuse. Her hair was an absolute mess, covering her face save for her mouth and chin. Blood was dripping from between her dry, thinly parted lips and her breathing was unsteady. She was chained to a cold, stone wall but the wristcuffs had been removed leaving her arms to hang limp at her sides as the holes in her wrists closed. Now she was strapped tightly to it by a similar band wrapped around her abdomen, pressing the spikes into her body whenever she inhaled. A thinner one without spikes was around her neck, keeping her head against the wall so the combination of gravity and exhaustion wouldn’t cause her to collapse. The floor was littered with broken torture devices, ranging from blades of all shapes and sizes to objects that seemed to have come from medieval Europe. The room was pitch black again but through Tabitha’s magic Loki was able to make out every detail.  
  
She let go of him and his consciousness returned to Midgard. “See? They let her have a break. She’s resting right now. She has an incredible pain tolerance, you know.” He firmly planted his palms on the desk and stood up, leaning towards the Asgardian in disguise. “Listen carefully you sociopathic bitch because I’m only going to say this once. As soon as Danielle is returned-”  
  
“Traded,” she quickly corrected. “And I think you know what the Chitauri want. But is one little girl really worth the Tesseract? Really now Loki, what’s one human life?”  
  
“Her race is irrelevant,” he snapped. “And she is worth far more than all the power the Tesseract has to offer and then some.” Tabitha’s face twisted in anger. “Why? What’s so fucking special about that little girl?” she hissed, overwhelmed by jealousy and extremely offended for reasons he didn’t understand. “After everything I…This little girl is going to be destroyed from the inside out because no one would ever allow the Tesseract to be handed over for just one pathetic little human. And it’s all your fault. Asgard will never give up the Tesseract and she will no longer be of use to them when they realize that. They’ll kill her, taking their revenge on that metal man. And when they do, he’ll blame you, and now that you’re practically a mortal yourself he’ll kill you. You’ll spend the rest of now until Ragnarok tortured mercilessly in the deepest pits of the realm ruled that monstrosity you call a daughter. And then they’ll have their revenge on your for failing to keep your end of the bargain.”  
  
“And what do you gain from all of this?”  
  
“The satisfaction of knowing that my sacrifices weren’t a waste. My compensation has been watching you have everything forcibly taken from you, slowly but without question or hindrance. Your title, your power, and now your new mistress.”  
  
“What in Odin’s name has led you to believe that the relationship I have with Danielle is anything more than platonic? She’s a fucking child.”  
  
“And a human at that. But I’ve been watching you two. It’s disgusting, the way you could care so much for something so beneath you.”  
  
 _Watching? How-?_ His eyes widened and she smirked. “It’s all come together, hasn’t it?” She chuckled, her voice changing as it had earlier during her brief encounter with Danielle. “You can’t keep secrets like that from the Goddess of fidelity. And this is your punishment for trying to leave her.”


	17. Breaking Point

After what he had witnessed and learning that his wife was behind the kidnapping, and for the pettiest of reasons at that, Loki was incapable of finishing out his day as his human persona. He immediately returned to the Avenger’s base of operations to let Thor know what was going on. Much to his discontent Nick Fury and Agent Coulson were there as well. Though this was by no means a threat to national security Danielle was a prospective Avenger, and the child of two of its members. Not to mention with the reappearance of an age old enemy they had no choice but to become involved. They were receiving an update from Clint in the common room, which was on the way to the bedrooms. A conversation was inevitable.  
  
“Well look who decided to finally show up,” Nick greeted in his usual acerbic voice from the couch he and Coulson were on, Clint on the one across from them. “How’s the ‘work release’ treating you?”  
  
“Always a pleasure seeing you Director Fury,” he replied in an equally sarcastic voice. “I wasn’t expecting to be graced with your presence anytime soon.”  
  
“Aliens, Tesseract, Danielle. What did you think we’d do, sit back and have a tea party while all this shit goes down? Oh, and of course, there’s the YOU factor.”  
  
“There’s also the Sigyn factor,” he replied curtly. “This is more than just a Chitauri threat. That deranged narcissist allied with them. She’s responsible for Danielle’s kidnapping.”  
  
“The what factor?” Coulson asked as he clicked his pen, a mini notebook in hand. Loki sighed. “My soon-to-be, and was supposed to be long ago, ex-wife.”  
  
“What?!” Clint exclaimed. “We were right?! Natasha and I were talking about the Asgard traitor idea last night and…I just took a shot in a dark. Jokingly, actually. What would your ex-wife want with Dani?”  
  
“It’s less so to do with her and more so to do with me. It would appear she’s still a little bitter over my attempt to annul the marriage I was forced into with her. Tabitha is Sigyn in disguise. She…To keep a long story short she believes I’m having an affair with Danielle and she’s anticipating the Chitauri are going to kill her.”  
  
“Not if I have anything to say about it. What’s the full story?”  
  
“Complete and utter bullshit Barton, that’s what it is. Where is everyone else? They’ll want to hear this.”  
  
“Steve is still a dysfunctional zombie. Tony and Bruce are in the lab making blueprints for some kind of teleportation device once we know Dani’s location. Natasha went to go…meet up with someone for lunch. She’s falling apart. Thor won’t leave his room.”  
  
“Oh this is going to be a glorious conversation, I can feel it already. But I know where she is.”  
  
“You do?!” Clint sighed in relief and reclined back against the couch. “We finally have a lead. Excellent.”  
  
“Yes and no. She is…I won’t say anything until I have a full audience.”  
  
“Nat won’t be coming back for a little while. She needs a break.”  
  
“What could be more important than being here to find out about Dani’s situation?” Nick asked surprised. Clint shook his head. “That’s not for me to say.”

* * *

  
**Stark Industries, CEO Office**  
  
  
“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” Natasha asked as she closed the door to Pepper’s office. She shook her head. “No, perfect timing actually. I was going to take a lunch break. So what’s going on? What’s this emergency?” She pulled out a folding chair and set it up next to her desk chair, patting the seat. Natasha sat down, slouching forward with her elbows on her knees.  
  
“I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep playing femme fetale anymore,” she said quietly. “There’s so much pressure, being the only woman on the team. And I’ve always tried my best to be a strong female role model for Dani. But I just can’t do it anymore.”  
  
“Natasha, what happened?” she asked in a gentle tone. She put her forehead in her hands. “I’m falling apart. I just can’t have a break, can I? I always have to be twice as strong and level-headed to prove I’m good enough to keep up with the boys. But I just can’t do that anymore.”  
  
“Everyone needs a break sometimes. Dani loves you, she would look up to you regardless.”  
  
“But I failed her. And I’ve become weak. How can I do anything for her now? I can’t keep myself together, and I can’t these images out of my head.” She sniffled and looked up at Pepper. “Dani’s been kidnapped. By the same aliens that attacked New York as Loki’s army.” She put a hand over her mouth, gasping loudly. “No. Oh dear God no,” she breathed. Natasha hung her head. “And I don’t know what to do. I’m falling apart. I can’t do anything for her, and I…I…” She buried her face in her hands and she began breathing deeply.  
  
Pepper gulped, biting her lower lip to keep it from quivering. “Natasha, you can’t always expect yourself to be that strong. Everyone has their moments of weakness. That doesn’t make you weak. You’re anything but weak.”  
  
“Then why am I like this?” she asked as warm tears began streaming down her face. “I tried…I tried so hard. Steve is mentally absent, Bruce can’t control himself, Clint keeps having spontaneous breakdowns, Tony’s started drinking again, and Thor won’t talk to anyone. Someone has to be strong, to be the adhesive unit to keep everything moving forward. And I tried, God I tried. But I can’t. Loki finally came forward and Dani was keeping a secret friendship with him this entire time and everything is a fucking mess and I just don’t know what to do. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat, I can’t think about anything but the footage J.A.R.V.I.S. caught of Dani being shot in the stomach, hit over the head, and dragged away. I can’t get it out of my head. We’re all useless right now. We can’t do anything for her. Bruce and Tony are trying to start making a portal but they can’t focus because one is going on rage fits and the other keeps drinking. Steve is trying to fulfill his role as the leader but he’s gone, he’s like a vegetable. Clint is all over the fucking map. No one knows what the hell Thor is doing. Dani is going to die if we don’t get it together but we can’t…I can’t…I’m letting her down and she’s going to die and I…” She was crying so fiercely she was no longer able to speak.  
  
Pepper pulled her forward into a comforting embrace, a hand on the middle of her back and the other on the back of her neck. She rested her chin on her shoulder and rubbed her back as Natasha’s wet face fell against her collar bone. “I know there’s nothing I can say right now to take any of this away from you,” she whispered, “but if I could, I would. And I know there’s nothing I can say to make you think otherwise about yourself, not until you see it yourself. But I know you will. You all will. Until then you have every right to cry and yell and scream because this a very fresh wound. You’re expecting yourself to run a marathon with a broken leg.”  
  
“How can you be so calm right now?” she asked sniffling, utterly embarrassed by her breakdown in front of the woman she was pursuing. She had only come with the intention of informing her that Danielle was gone, not to spill all these unwanted emotions which had been secretly taking a drastic toll on her.  
  
“To let you have a break. You don’t always need to be strong for everyone else. Let someone be strong for you instead. Will you let me do that?” Natasha nodded slowly.

* * *

  
**Torture Chamber**  
  
  
 _What’s wrong with my leg?_ Though all of her wounds from the latest batch of torture techniques had closed she could feel a bizarre sensation along her shin. She had been cut there but the laceration healed; despite that it felt as though it were still open and instead of bleeding, liquid fire was pouring forth. _They didn’t put any weird solvent or poison on my skin…Unless that blade was dipped in something…What the shit is going on?_  
  
She managed to lift her head ever so slightly when she heard footsteps approach and her with her limited vision detected an unfamiliar shape accompanied by an unfamiliar voice, though the words of its owner made it quite clear who her visitor was.  
  
“What a shame,” the deep, guttural voice commented. She could hear him lean down before her and assumed him to be inspecting her right shin, the one in immense pain. “I hope this does not spread too quickly. We still need you alive. For the time being, mind you.”  
  
“You’re the Other,” she croaked, “aren’t you?” Even in the dark she could see the deep wrinkles and leathery flesh, and how they curved as he smiled. “Yes, the Chitauri ruler. And you, young one, have contracted a very common sickness we experience here. But I doubt your immune system will be able to fend it off, despite the enhancements Sigyn claims you were born with.”  
  
 _Sigyn?...Loki’s wife is the Asgardian traitor?! That would explain how all the sensitive information about his crimes, trial, and punishment reached the Chitauri. They would have to tell his wife, wouldn’t they? And if she is the traitor, perhaps she’s the reason he didn’t know about the Odinsleep. But the Tesseract…The Chitauri want it and they could easily have it if they knew Asgard wasn’t protected properly. If she hasn’t told them…she must want it for herself and she’s playing these fuckers! Using them as pawns, promising a chance at revenge. Oh fuck. Oh fuck._ “Tabitha…is Sigyn, isn’t she?” Her throat was burning from the dehydration.  
  
“That’s right. Quite the way to settle a lover’s spat, wouldn’t you agree?”  
  
“Yeah…A little over the top…”  
  
“This won’t do.” He shook his head. “We need you alive for as long as possible. Guards! Get the human some source of hydration.” She heard heavy footsteps she came to identify as belonging to the Chitauri ascending the staircase. “Don’t worry, we’ll do what we can to accommodate your needs, as vast as they may be considering how weak you are.”  
  
“Well aren’t you thoughtful…What’s the thing on my leg?”  
  
“An infection, most likely the result of unsterile blades. Idiots. I’ve never seen it on a human before, but for us it spreads throughout the bloodstream until it naturally dies out. Similar to your…common cold, I suppose. But this could attack your vital organs. We’ll have to monitor it.”  
  
“Or you could stop torturing me…” _I can’t tell him that Sigyn is just using them, or I’ll reveal the Odinsleep and they’ll attack Asgard. I wish there was a way I could contact everyone back home…_ Had her body not been almost completely drained of fluid she would have began shedding tears.  
  
“And stop our tests to see where your limits lie? What fun would that be?”  
  
“A lot, for me…”

"We can only be so accomdating."

* * *

  
**Avenger’s Mansion, Evening**  
  
  
Natasha stayed at Stark Industries for most of the day in the security of Pepper’s presence. She couldn’t remember the last time she cried so hard and still felt embarrassed for doing so in front of her. Pepper took her back to her home and made her dinner, offering to let her stay the night, but Natasha insisted she return to their base of operations in case any new details were uncovered.  
  
After Loki, with additional commentary from Thor, elaborated more on the cosmology they were dealing with a little Bruce and Tony had returned to work on creating a portal. They were using the one in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s operational facility Loki had teleported to seventeen years ago as a model. Because he was buried in his work, the penultimate stress reliever, Bruce was no longer a concern at the current moment and Clint was relieved of ‘Hulk-sedating duty’. It also forced Tony away from the alcohol cabinet which everyone was starting to supervise now and then to ensure the addiction didn’t return as his own form of stress relief.  
  
Steve spent the remainder of the day in his room as usual. But while everyone was under the assumption he had shut down, and subsequently shut everyone else out, he was taking advantage of the time alone to continue working on the birthday present he was putting together for Danielle. Ever since her newfound popularity after the hearing she had, just as she predicted, received all sorts of offers for talk show appearances, TV and movie cameos (with Michael Bay showing the most interest), her own reality TV show, countless fanart, fansites, and a line of action figures. She had declined every offer, still adjusting to her rise in fame and not quite believing herself worthy of the attention anyway as she wasn’t a superhero. But Steve wanted to put together something to acknowledge everything she had accomplished thus far, from birth to ‘the DIGITIAL age’ and returned to his artistic roots to create what would arguably be the most accurate comic book rendition of her ‘life and adventures’. After he entered the spotlight there were a few unauthorized comics that went into circulation greatly exaggerating his exploits; the few copies which still exist today hold extreme value. He wanted to beat her fanbase to the punch, as she was considering at the very least someday negotiating a comic book deal. But her motivation was more so out of curiosity, to see what storylines the writers would create and how hysterically exaggerated their account of her life and powers would be than genuine interest. He used J.A.R.V.I.S. to review old footage from when she was still a child to create the most accurate detailed panels. He was currently working on a little mishap she caused in elementary school which at the time was troublesome but upon looking back a rather fond memory.

* * *

  
**Eleven Years Ago, Danielle’s Elementary School**  
  
  
Though heavily censored Danielle enjoyed listening to her father’s war stories, but his omission of the violence and Nazi regime’s agenda (as well as HYDRA’s) had given her a false impression of what war was like. He had inadvertently glorified it and at age six she decided when she grew up she would join the army to fight in World War III as ‘Captainette America’.  
  
Because of the advanced cognitive skills bestowed upon her by the SSS she was already in fourth grade at age six, though later in life she would insist on not starting middle school until she was thirteen as most children did. She wasn’t alienated by other students because of the vast age difference and found it very easy to connect with them, even if unbeknownst to her most were taking advantage of the ignorance which accompanied youth to try and meet her famous parents. As such she made quite the habit of retelling Steve’s stories and replicating those ‘adventures’ during recess. Another habit she developed was one she had more likely than not picked up from Tony- arguing with her teacher that she knew nothing about World War II, was teaching it wrong, and should be fired for ‘trying to brainwash the youth with her unpatriotic, communist, Illuminati propaganda’ when there was any mention of something she believed to be false. At first the school tolerated it, assuming she didn’t know any better because there was only so much Steve was willing and able to share with her. It wasn’t until one outburst in particular that she found herself suspended for a week.  
  
Head hung and legs kicking back and forth, she sat in a chair outside the principal’s office humming to herself a song she was writing about the New York invasion. When the door opened she looked up, never having seen her parents so angry before.  
  
“Am I in trouble?” she asked in a quiet voice, ready to unleash her epic pout like a feral cat waiting to pounce. Tony raised an eyebrow at her. “Really? You’re asking if you’re in trouble?”  
  
“I cannot believe you would say such a thing,” Steve added with serious disappointment. “Let’s go. We’re going to have a long talk on the way home.”  
  
“How can we have a long talk if it’s not very far away?” she asked innocently, hopping off her chair.  
  
“Dani, don’t start,” her dad warned. When they got to the car and she strapped herself in she had accepted the unfortunate reality that her greatest weapon would be of no use to her this time. “I still don’t know what I did wrong,” she grumbled, looking out the window and watching the other cars go by.  
  
“Well for starters, you called your teacher a cunt.”  
  
“Why’s that bad? You say it all the time daddy!”  
  
“Not around you,” he argued. “At least I don’t think I do. Besides, you shouldn’t start modeling your behavior after mine until you’re at least sixteen.” Steve gave him a warning glare out of the corner of his eye. “I mean eighteen.” Steve raised an eyebrow. “Fine, fine, twenty-one, when you can legally drink.”  
  
“But she was lying!” Danielle yelled, balling her little fists at her side.  
  
“Tone, young lady,” her father scolded. She scoffed. “You’re not in the army anymore, you can’t boss me around!” He gripped the wheel so tightly it was starting to crack.  
  
“Steve, super strength. Keep it in check.”  
  
“Hm? Ugh, not again. That’s the third car…”  
  
“And I thought Bruce had terrible road rage…Back to you, little missy. What inspired you to say that?”  
  
“She was lying! It’s corporate America and the secret police and the mainstream media and the communist regime and the Illuminati at work! They’ve infiltrated the public education system and are trying to turn us into sheep!” she cried. “Someone had to do **something**!”  
  
“What the…?” Steve sighed. “Has Natasha been telling you about Soviet Russia again?”  
  
“Yes, and it’s a good thing too because KCD-”  
  
“KGB,” Tony corrected. Danielle put a hand on her heart. “Oh thank goodness you already know about the impending threat! Then the Avengers will be ready when they come with their nuclear warheads.” He looked at Steve and mouthed out ‘No more war stories’. Steve nodded slowly and mimicked him adding ‘No more world history’. “What was she lying about?” he asked.  
  
“She said Dr. Erskine was a traitor because he had secretly used the SSS on the Red Skull without the U.S. military knowing and he was probably a spy for the German bad guys. I told her he was forced to do it and she said there was no proof, so I told her that’s what the doctor said to you, and she said he was probably lying so he wouldn’t get in trouble. I told her if he wanted to use the SSS for the bad guys he wouldn’t have used it on you too to make you super strong to help the good guys, and she said he was trying to destroy the U.S. military from the inside because he was a spy, so I said she didn’t know what she was talking about and called her a lying cu- the word that rhymes with ‘front’ and starts with a ‘c’.”  
  
He opened his mouth to respond but was at a loss for words. He was led to believe Danielle was acting up because her knowledge of World War II was limited to his stories and she was being precocious. Calling Dr. Erskine’s character and loyalty into question was a completely different story. “Well, yes, she was wrong, but that doesn’t mean you can call her that. I’ll have a talk with her and set her straight.”  
  
“Since it’s a big people word, can you call her a lying you-know-what too? You’re Captain America so you can’t get in trouble. Nobody will fuck with you,” she said shaking her head.  
  
“What did you just say?!” he exclaimed. Tony curled his lips inwards and said sheepishly, “That she got from me.”

* * *

  
**Present**  
  
  
After finishing the outlines for the last panel his thoughts drifted back to Tony. He was drinking heavily again, which Steve had anticipated. And he was also right in saying that Danielle was the one to call them out on their confrontations; they were too busy arguing to notice they were arguing. He hoped that she wasn’t the only cohesion between them anymore, and the confrontations really were just a result of the inevitable elevated frustrations. The fact that the Loki issue was slowly being resolved made it less a source of stress for everyone, especially with all the valuable information he had for them in regards to getting Danielle back.  
  
The door slowly opened and he looked up from the desk. “Oh, you’re awake. And functioning,” Tony said rather surprised as he entered. “You know everyone thinks you’ve gone brain dead after that comment you made about Dani possibly being dead, right?” Steve shrugged and set down his pencil. “I don’t mind. I’m enjoying the time alone. How’s the wormhole coming along?”  
  
“Did you just say ‘wormhole’? You’re so cute when you try to talk science,” he teased with a slight grin. “We’re making a little progress. Granted we don’t really know what we’re doing and considering both Loki and Thor need to help give direction now and then, Bruce needed to take a break. So is this what you’ve been doing in here the entire time?” He nodded towards the pieces of paper on the desk. Steve nodded. “It’s Dani’s birthday present. Only a few more weeks until she’s seventeen.”  
  
“Fuck, don’t remind me. Because after seventeen comes eighteen and at eighteen comes college. Already.” He shook his head. “It feels like just yesterday…So what are you making?”  
  
“Well she had mentioned that, out of all the offers she’s received, the only one she’s considering looking into in the future is a comic book deal.”  
  
“Yeah, she wants to see how outlandish the artists and writers get with the escapades of DIGITAL.”  
  
“I decided to make one for her myself. An accurate one, at that. Come here.” He motioned with a finger and Tony peered over his shoulder. “Holy shit, that’s amazing,” he marveled. “It’s been so long since you’ve made something I, as ashamed as I am to admit it, forgot how good you are…Is that the time when she tried to lift Thor’s hammer?” Steve nodded and laughed. “I couldn’t leave that out. Oh, and I just finished the time she was suspended from school for calling her teaching a lying cunt. I really hated that woman…”  
  
“She was secretly a Neo Nazi. Totally understandable. Whoa, go back. Is that the lab incident? When she first used the suit?”  
  
“Mm hm. J.A.R.V.I.S. has been helping me out by replaying some old footage. I would have more done by now but I keep getting distracted, watching all those videos of her when she was younger.”  
  
Tony sat down on the edge of the bed. “How do you feel about Dani having lied to us this entire time? And, of all the crazy people to make friends with, she picked Loki?” Steve turned in the chair to face him. “I’m not entirely sure. I know she thought she was doing the right thing, and she also knew there would be serious consequences if we found out. But she did it anyway and though I disagree with what she did I can respect that. And as much as I hate to admit it, Loki does seem genuinely concerned about her. She must have become quite close to him.”  
  
“Yeah…That’s the part which bothers me most. She’s a teenager. Teenagers have hormones. I’m probably being a paranoid parent again but I can’t help but wonder if she might have a crush on him. Also I think I just threw up a little.”  
  
“I hadn’t considered that. I doubt that’s her motivation, even if she did.”  
  
He puckered his lips and exhaled. “Maybe not. It’s just a bizarre thought, her doing it for any other reason.”  
  
“Because she’s compassionate?”  
  
“Yeah, but it’s Loki.”  
  
“And this is Dani we’re talking about. She may be attitudinal but when she has her heart set on something she gives it her all. And if she believed she was doing the right thing then she’s going to go out of her way to see her endeavor through. He said she mentioned feeling that she could relate to him and I understood her reasoning behind it.”  
  
“Maybe you didn’t hear me the first time. It’s Loki.”  
  
“Tony, I heard you. And I don’t trust him any more than you do. But Dani, for some reason or another, did. And I trust her judgment.”  
  
“Trust her judg-? Christ Steve, look at where that’s gotten her!”  
  
“She knew there were risks, but you and I have also known from the start that she would eventually find herself in a dangerous situation. It’s the very reason we were unable to adopt. I trust her judgment, and I have faith in her ability to get through this. We raised her to be ready for something like this because we all knew it was bound to happen. At some point or another it was bound to happen.”  
  
“I didn’t anticipate it to involve Loki, of all people.”  
  
“Well what were you expecting? Petty criminals, perhaps a pathetic disciple or arrogant copycat of someone you or I have fought before? That’s what the police are for, not the Avengers.”  
  
“But Dani isn’t an Avenger!”  
  
“It doesn’t matter! She has unique abilities and that’s going to attract danger. Am I terrified of what could happen to her? Of course! The first thought in my head was that she may be dead! But then I remembered you and I raised her. All of us raised her. We raised her to be intelligent, capable, strong, resourceful, and to never give up. And I can’t help but think that your attitude has less to do with the situation as a whole than it does the fact that Loki is involved because of your PTSD.” _…Nice job, Steve_.  
  
Tony blinked at him in surprise. “What did you just say? You know what, fuck it. I’m sleeping on the couch tonight.” He abruptly rose and stormed out.  
  
“Anything to be closer to the liquor cabinet!” the blond yelled. Tony immediately halted and stormed back to the bedroom.  
  
“I'm getting really damn tired of all this fighting.  And considering Dani seems to be the only one able to mediate, I think it’s about time we consider whether or not we should separate.”  
  
“For once we agree on something.”


	18. Moving Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...everyone can't help but wonder if something is going on between Loki and Dani...Is there? Let's find out! PS- There's definitely something going on with Pepper and Natasha here...About time, right?

“I knew all along she was hiding something. I wasn’t expecting that something to be you.”  
  
“She is full of surprises, isn’t she?”  
  
Thor folded his arms over his chest and stared his younger brother down. “Unlike my comrades I believe you had no part in this. And I know Danielle has done everything up to this point out of her own accord. She herself had unknowingly confirmed that. What I do not understand is why you are so adamant on returning the favor. Is it safe to assume that in the course of almost three Midgardian months you’ve already completed your trial?”  
  
“It’s never safe to assume anything.”  
  
“Feeling indebted to her I can understand. But you tolerated her from the start, even going so far as to take her advice on how to make your time here more bearable.”  
  
“And for reasons I don’t believe even she fully understands she tolerated me from the start. She was insistent on preventing any failure on my part.”  
  
“And though reluctant you let her do it.”  
  
“She didn’t need permission. She’s quite stubborn, in case you haven’t noticed.”  
  
“Correct me if I am wrong, but the idea of carrying out the rest of your sentence here is a frustrating one. But doing it alone is even worse, isn’t it?”  
  
“First Sigyn, and now you. Why does everyone think I’m in love with the girl?” he asked defensively. Thor blinked startled. “I was making no such implications. Rather I was alluding to something tamer. You’ve grown weary of being alone-”  
  
“What I’ve grown weary of Thor is everyone else telling me what it is that I’ve grown weary of, what I feel, what I think, what I need. The All-Father can strip me of my title and power but even he isn’t capable of taking away my-”  
  
“But that is exactly what she did, and you accepted it! That’s my entire point! You let her in. You were afraid to be so close to someone, especially someone who has forced you to confront your fear, your hatred, your pain. Effortlessly at that. But who better? As much as you don’t want to admit it, this is more than honoring a debt to someone who showed compassion without warrant. This is more than respecting her conviction. You want to save someone you care about.”  
  
“Enough with the sentimentality,” he groaned. “You’re making me nostalgic for her pedantry and capricious lecturing.”  
  
There was a loud banging on Thor’s door, followed by Tony’s voice. “Hey Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, I need to have a talk with the felon. Promised I’m unarmed.” Without warning or hesitation he opened it. “Now.”  
  
“As you wish…” Loki muttered giving Thor a strange look who merely shrugged. Tony made his way to the kitchen, Loki behind him, and opened up the liquor cabinet. “That offer is still open you know. I don’t know about you, but I sure as shit need a drink right now.” Loki sighed dejectedly. “It has been one of those days, hasn’t it?”  
  
“I don’t know. Was your daughter kidnapped yesterday by an alien race with a seventeen-year-old grudge?” He took out the first bottle within reach and poured two glasses. As Loki took one he replied, “Actually she was taken from me. Deemed too hideous and a monstrosity, she has been charged with overseeing the realm of the dead which houses the souls of degenerates of every persuasion and those who die of old age or illness. Only the first group is subjected to any kind of torture and damnation of course.”  
  
“Of course.” Tony leaned his elbows on the countertop and took a swig. “So what’s the deal with you and Dani? I know she’s a weird kid and she has a habit of attracting trouble.  A habit which, like fine wine, seems to become more potent as time goes on. But what possessed her into playing guardian angel for the jackass responsible for almost destroying the world she would come to call home not long after?”  
  
“She did say to my credit that there was a silver lining. Had the attack not happened her parents never would have met.”  
  
“You’re fucking kidding.”  
  
“Surprisingly no, I’m not. Though I don’t expect you to believe me.” Glass in hand he stared out the large window at the noisy, energetic city. It didn’t feel like seventeen years had already passed since he tossed the man he was currently conversing with plummeting down to the streets below. “One of the many things she told me which seemed to resonate most was that she does not believe in coincidence. She thought that it was possible our paths crossed for that very reason, for the damage I caused. Who better for the Fates to torture me with than the phoenix child bred from the ashes of my mistakes, serving as a constant reminder of them through her existence alone?”  
  
“You…don’t sound as bitter as you should,” Tony remarked. Loki raised an eyebrow at him. “What have I to be bitter over? She was right about everything, whether I liked it or not, and I would have to confront it all eventually. Again, who better? Not only did my mistakes ultimately lead up to her birth she was determined to see me through this. And that was arguably the most annoying part of it all. She had every reason to hate me, and instead she decided to take it upon herself to aid me. It all seemed so condescending at first. But as she continued with her endeavor and I finally saw her as Danielle the utterly bizarre little creature instead of simply ‘Danielle Rogers-Stark’, I realized there was no one more suited for the task should anyone else feel compelled to undertake it. There is no one better.” He emptied half of his glass. “I cannot speak for her and her motivation of course. Even if I could I wouldn’t dare try because she would no doubt have a fit over it. She yells a lot. That took some adjusting to, as she appears quite harmless at first glance.” Tony snorted in amusement. “She does, doesn’t she? And as soon that mouth opens or God forbid that hypnotizing pout is used against you, you’re fucked. Have you seen that evil weapon of hers?”  
  
“Luckily no, I have yet to be subjected to it, but she’s told me countless stories of how easily you have fallen prey to it.”  
  
 _This is the bastard that gave me PTSD, and we’re "bonding" over talking about my daughter. Only you Dani. Only you._ “Guilty.” He poured another glass. “I honestly thought she would outgrow using it when she got older but she’s too sharp. She knew how well it worked and she held on to it. For someone so innocent looking she can be pretty damn passive-aggressive. She sure as shit didn’t get that from her father, and I’m fairly certain she didn’t get that from me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very adept at taking advantage of people when it suits me, I worked in big business for God’s sake. But even I wouldn’t replace my dad’s shampoo with honey just because I didn’t get to go out for Mongolian barbeque on my twelfth birthday. Or the alarm clock switch she pulled…That was a fucking nightmare. Steve is very up-with-the-sun whereas I like to spend late nights working in the lab, and when I stay up too late I need to sleep in so I put together a little alcove just for that in the lab. On a regular day the alarm goes off at seven, though Steve is usually awake at five. When I’m up late working I have mine set to noon, sometimes two. Well when Dani was eight she was angry with us for some silly reason that only an eight-year-old would get pissed off over. And what does she do? Waits until a night that I stay up late working, and then switches our alarm clocks. Steve overslept and was crabby all day because his routine was thrown off. The thing she didn’t know was I had just accomplished some very impressive upgrades on my suit so I drank a little to celebrate. Two hours later I have an alarm clock screaming in my ear which, in case you didn’t already know, isn’t a very fun experience when one is hungover.”  
  
With a slight chuckle Loki replied, “It’s things like that which make me think the Chitauri have already come to regret taking her. I can just imagine the poor bastards begging you to take her away from them because she won’t stop running her mouth off.”  
  
“Minus the fact your supposed-to-be-ex-wife showed you she’s being kept in a torture room.”  
  
“I’m trying to push that image out of my head, along with the one of her being shot.” Tony ran his hand down face. “Fuck…I know she has the serum in her body but I’m still amazed she survived that blow. You could see right through her. I want to kick myself for saying this but I can empathize with you a little, having to nurse a terrible case of Bitter Ex Syndrome.”  
  
“I’m hardly surprised. What I still have yet to understand is why she cares so much that Danielle is a human. I suppose it has something to do with her false impression that we’re having an illicit affair.”  
  
“I don’t understand why you _don’t_ care she’s human. If anything I thought that would piss you off even more.”  
  
“As did I. But she doesn’t ‘act like it’, if that makes sense. She’s nothing like the stereotype I had always associated with your race. It’s that damned selflessness. As exceptional as it might make her...it’s also the reason she was kidnapped in the first place.” He finished his drink and Tony poured him another one.  
  
“I’m just going to skip right to my real question. Are Psycho Sigyn’s concerns about Dani being your ‘illicit lover’ baseless?”  
  
“Of course they are. Why does everyone keep asking me that?”  
  
“You won’t shut up about her, you’re uncharacteristically concerned about someone that isn’t you, she’s a human, she’s attractive, she's smart, and you strike me as the type that couldn’t handle being with someone better than you but you won’t settle for anything less than ideal either. She’s silver-tongued and cunning, and I think a huge part of the reason why you’re so fascinated by her is because you’ve met your match. You’ve met your equal. In a human no less.”  
  
“That’s not something I had considered before…” he admitted quietly.  He certainly respected Danielle's intelligence but never considered her an equal until the idea was brought to his attention.  
  
“Of course not, you couldn’t bear the thought of having an equal in a human. Heart of the matter Reindeer Games. What is the primary reason?”  
  
He slowly ran his finger along the rim of the glass.  “She said that she does not believe in coincidence, and wondered what the point of our fateful encounter was. I refuse to believe it was for the sake of my redemption at the expense of her life. I refuse to believe we met…so she could die.”  
  
 _…This isn’t the same guy who’s responsible for my PTSD. She really has managed to get him to start turning his act around. Next she’ll find a way to divide by zero._

* * *

  
**The Next Morning**  
  
  
“The hell…?” a groggy Tony mumbled, rubbing his eyes as he sat up on the couch. It was hardly past eight in the morning and someone was ringing the doorbell. “J.A.R.V.I.S., I thought I told you to do something about those proselytizers.”  
  
“Unless Ms. Potts has come to ask if you’ve found Jesus, I don’t think that will be necessary, sir.”  
  
“What’s Pepper doing here?”  
  
“Might I suggest letting her in to find out?” He nodded slowly and was about to get up but Steve walked briskly passed him and made his way downstairs to let her in.  
  
“Good morning Pepper. What brings you here so early?” he greeted as he opened the door for her. She held out a leather jacket. “I came to return this to its rightful owner. Natasha came to the office yesterday to tell me about…you know. Anyway she left this at my place-” She stopped mid-sentence, her face bright red. She didn’t know if Natasha was out to the others. He raised an eyebrow curiously and then his eyes widened in epiphany. “Are you telling me what I think you’re telling me?” he asked surprised. She smacked herself in the face. “Shit! I didn’t think to watch how I worded that…Please don’t say anything. I don’t know if anyone else knows anything and oh dear Lord I haven’t even come yet. Um, well, I guess now is a good time to let you know that I’m a lesbian. For the sake of context. And Natasha and I have sort of been seeing each other and, oh shit.” He shook it off and waved a hand forward. “You should probably come in, if you have the time.”  
  
“I don’t work today,” she replied as she took off her shoes and followed him in. “Why?”  
  
“I think Natasha would rather be given that by you. And your secret is safe with me, I promise.”  
  
“You won’t even tell Tony?”  
  
 _He’s the last person I would tell anything to right now._ “Not even Tony. Oh, and don’t be alarmed if you see Loki here. He’s staying under our supervision until this situation has been addressed.”  
  
“Oh?” she asked with a slight nervous laugh as the elevator took them up to the common area. He waved a hand dismissively. “Not to worry. He’s harmless. And surprisingly helpful. Did Natasha not tell you all the details? Oh, that’s right, she was gone when Loki shared the most recent update with us. I’m guessing she was with you.”  
  
“Probably, if it was last night.” He nodded in confirmation and led her to the bedrooms. She was more than familiar with the layout of the Avenger’s home and base of operations but Steve thought if he were chaperoning her a conversation with Tony, who was still on the couch, could be avoided. The inventor didn’t even have a chance to offer a greeting of his own.  
  
“Why was he sleeping on the couch?” she asked as they neared Natasha’s room. He shook his head. “Trust me when I say you don’t want to know.” She opened her mouth to inquire further but decided it best not to press further. They stopped in front of Natasha’s door.  
  
“I’m sure you probably already know this,” he said in a low tone, “but she hasn’t been doing too well lately. And she’s the worst in the mornings. Just a forewarning.” With a tiny laugh she put a hand on her hip and said with a smirk, “Have you forgotten I used to date your husband?”  
  
“A fair point. I hope your presence helps cheer her up a little. We all need some kind of pick-me-up right now…” She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Just as I told Natasha, I believe in you guys. And let’s also not forget Dani is a tough kid. She’s coming home, one way or another.” He nodded, forcing a smile before returning to his room to work more on Danielle’s birthday gift. Pepper knocked on the door. There was a loud _thwack!_ from the other end and she assumed a pillow had been thrown in her direction.  
  
“Natasha, it’s me.” She heard some muttering and fumbling on the other side of the door which the red-head eventually opened. She looked sleep-deprived. “I’m sorry,” she yawned. “I didn’t get very much sleep last night and- Is that my jacket?” She pointed down at what Pepper was holding. “That explains why I felt so chilly yesterday.”  
  
“I came to return it but, um, I…” She looked over both shoulders and then whispered, “I accidentally told Steve when I explained why I was here. I’m sorry.”  
  
“Why?” she asked rubbing her eyes. “You saved me the trouble. That’s one less person I need to tell,” she joked and opened the door, nodding inside. “Come on in. There have been new developments in the kidnapping situation.”  
  
“Won’t it look suspicious if I do?”  
  
She leaned against the doorframe and grinned. “I feel like it probably does already.” Pepper shrugged. “I suppose so. Though it could be worse.”  
  
“You mean like this?” Natasha leaned forward and planted a gentle peck on the CEO’s lips. Her face went deep red. “Um…You said something about updates? OK, updates are good. I want to hear the updates. Tell me the updates.” She gave Natasha her jacket who carelessly tossed it aside and grabbed the woman by the hand, pulling her inside and quickly closing the door behind her.  
  
“Sorry, that was a little aggressive of me,” Natasha said embarrassed, taking a step back. “I…I just need a stress relief and my mind immediately went to-” Her apology was cut short by Pepper pulling her forwards, cradling her face in her hands and kissing her deeply.  
  
“That’s how you arouse suspicion,” she said with a grin after pulling away.  
  
“Among other things,” the shocked assassin replied. Just as she pinned Pepper against the door she heard Clint yell “Get some!” outside at the end of the hall. She groaned and shook her head. “I’m going to kill him.”  
  
“Can it wait?”  
  
“Well since you asked nicely, I suppose so.”  
  
“And if I hadn’t asked nicely?”  
  
“I wouldn’t really have a choice then, would I?”

* * *

  
**The Lab**  
  
  
The last dial in a complex series of switches, buttons, and knobs was turned. Bruce and Tony braced themselves for another failure. The original portal wasn’t even a portal at all but a distortion caused by a hyperactive Tesseract so they had no legitimate prototype to draw inspiration from.  
  
“Maybe we’re going about this all wrong,” Bruce thought aloud scratching the back of his head. Tony nodded at the fizzling large metallic ring which was intended to create a wormhole. “Ya think?”  
  
“The first time a distortion was created it was by the Tesseract. We’ve been doing the exact opposite.”  
  
“We don’t have it and we can’t retrieve it either.”  
  
“No, we can’t. But what if Thor was able to contact someone in Asgard to use it so it will kick start this for us.” His fellow scientist mulled over the idea and nodded in agreement. “Worth a try. Hey J.A.R.V.I.S., can you get Thor down here for me?” Not long after placing the request the thunder God came to the lab to see the progress they had made, finding himself slightly disappointed to see it was still not functional.  
  
“Is there any way you can contact someone in Asgard and have them use the Tesseract to make this come to life? We have the body, it just needs a heartbeat.” Bruce wiped his glasses off on the bottom of his shirt and looked at his friend hopefully. Thor pondered for a few silent moments. “I do not know if we can use the Tesseract. However, there is an all-seeing, all-hearing God who watches over the entrance to my Asgard. He is charged with regulating transportation between worlds, and may be able to give your device its ‘heartbeat’ and have it direct us to wherever we need to be.”  
  
“Well,” Tony said clapping his hands together, “get him on the line. We need to head over to Chitauri-land.” On cue, the circular teleportation device slowly began to rotate, its movement creating ripples which quickly evolved into tears in space. In a matter of seconds the wormhole, a swirling blue vortex not unlike Loki’s entrance to Midgard during his failed siege, exploded from the center most point to the metallic confines of their contraption. His jaw dropped. “This whole time…That was all we had to do this whole time? Whatever, we’ve got our portal, and that’s all that matters. Remind me to send that friend of yours a fruit basket. J.A.R.V.I.S., get everyone down here right now, and make sure they’re battle ready.”  
  
“And what of Ms. Potts, sir?”  
  
“Someone should watch this end while we’re gone,” Bruce pointed out. “We should have Fury and Coulson over here as well.” Both Tony and Thor nodded in agreement. “Call up Fury and tell him he’s on wormhole watching duty while we’re gone.” He turned to Thor. “You’re certain this will send us to Chitauri-land?”  
  
“If it was activated by Heimdall then yes, I am certain. But there is only one way to know for certain.”  
  
“Right. Go grab your hammer. Once everyone’s down here we come up with a plan and then pay those Dani-nappers a visit.” He turned to Bruce. “Feel free to turn green whenever you-…OK, now works.”


	19. Consequences and Responsibility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Often it is the most deserving people who cannot help loving those who destroy them. -Herman Hesse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was listening to "Pieces" by Red earlier today and that led to the mood in a scene later in this chapter...I'd advise listening to it if you think you can handle a double dosage of feels. Oh yeah, I've begun exploring possibilities for sequels or complementary works (series of one-shots or something).
> 
> Also, this- http://www.deviantart.com/art/Date-Night-372438689

Danielle’s blue eyes slowly flickered open, greeted by a much smaller room with metal bars and a barred window letting in thin streams of light. “They moved me?” she quietly whispered to herself, feeling a cold stone floor beneath her back. She slowly sat up and immediately cringed in pain, almost biting her tongue; the burning sensation shooting throughout her leg had spread up into her lower abdomen, meaning her alien infection had spread. She was surprised to find that she had no restraints whatsoever but assumed they believed the debilitating pain to be restraining enough, and they weren’t entirely incorrect. A hand on her stomach, she used the other to drag herself to the wall and pressed her back against it. She straightened out the infected leg and reached out to feel along the flesh; it was raised and bumpy and small flakes of skin scattered at the gentlest brush of her fingers. She pushed it over into a more well-lit part of the cell and saw her skin was bright pink. “That explains the burning sensation…My skin is coming off and I can see my tissue and muscles and blood and shit. Chitauri have an exoskeleton; no wonder this is so harmless to them. Shit,” she cursed, leaning her head back against the wall and sliding her leg back out of the light.  
  
She heard low murmurs not far from her cell and saw guards whispering amongst themselves. There was a sense of urgency and tension in the air. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes. “Come on guys…Two science nerds on the team and an Asgardian to help you navigate this shit. You have no excuses…”  
  
“Is that mumbling I hear over there?” Danielle groaned and squeezed her eyes tightly. _Oh yay, a visitor_. “Is it asking too much for you to, I dunno, fuck off or something?” Sigyn, in her human disguise Tabitha, strode up to the bars and twirled her artificially black hair around her finger. “But then you would be all alone. The Other told me you contracted a Chitauri illness. I’m sure it’s miserable for someone of flesh. For them, it’s contracted when internal organs weaken. The bacteria eats away at them and they have to regenerate. It’s quite common. Quite beneficial actually, despite the pain. But you, poor dear, have the bacteria eating through your skin as it works its way through your body. I wonder which organs its heading to? Perhaps you’ve inhaled something in this foreign atmosphere and your lungs are weakening. Perhaps the starvation and dehydration are destroying your stomach. Maybe you have toxins accumulating that your liver and kidneys are unfamiliar with and don’t know how to process.”  
  
She opened her eyes and narrowed them at her. “I’d take loneliness over you any day.” Sigyn giggled. “Oh Danielle, you’re such a jokester. I’m pleased to see you’re awake though, believe it or not. Guess who’s here?”  
  
Her eyes widened. _Did they...?_ She awaited an answer with bated breath and Sigyn nodded. “That’s right. I suppose Heimdall lent a helping hand.” She rolled her eyes in annoyance. “They are currently speaking with the Other right now. Negotiating your release no doubt. But he wants the Tesseract. Do you think Asgard would hand it over just for you? Just for one little girl?”  
  
“Of course not, nor would I expect them to.” _What I expect is my family to come up with a plan around that_.  
  
“How noble of you, putting your life on the line for the safety of the entire universe. I wonder what will happen then? I wonder if the Other would storm Asgard to take it himself with the new army? I don’t know if you’re aware but Odin is currently slumbering…”  
  
“I heard.”  
  
“Funny how that happened as soon as Loki was sent to Earth. Immediately after his powers were stripped away from him. Both heirs to the throne are gone and Odin is asleep. Asgard is almost completely defenseless. What would become of the leadership if he were to die?”  
  
“After Thor would be Loki. After Loki would be Sif, because she’s Thor wife.”  
  
“Sif already has a position as the leader of the Asgard military. She has declined, unless Thor were to return to Asgard and become king. Why do you think they don’t act like husband and wife? It’s a political union. They’re good friends, nothing more. So who would be next?”  
  
“…you.” Sigyn smiled. “Oops, did I just tell you my plan? It doesn’t matter. The Chitauri can’t understand me and you’re going to die. When Asgard refuses to turn over the Tesseract you’ll be useless and immediately executed, assuming the illness doesn’t kill you first. What better way to enact revenge on your parents, namely your father for destroying their armed forces?”  
  
“Dad,” she corrected. “Iron Man is my dad. Captain America is my father. You’re pissed that Loki never got his act together because you thought he would end up with the throne instead of Thor and you would be queen. He had it, he lost it. And you’re pissed that he took that away from you. If the throne defaults to you so does the Tesseract. If they knew about the Odinsleep they would have already gone in and taken it. And you’re gonna try and nab the throne as soon as their attempt at a trade falls to shit before they can storm in and attack. Am I wrong?”  
  
“Just when I thought you couldn’t become anymore irritating, you precarious little shit…You’re a little too smart for your own good.”  
  
“And you caused the Odinsleep. Somehow. But how could you…?” _What’s Loki’s is hers, kind of. Like the throne. Hold on, how did she learn to shapeshift?_ “You were entrusted with his powers after he had them taken away,” she realized. “You aren’t a magic user. Not until a little under twenty Midgardian years ago. You carry the power of the God of deception and manipulation. They’ll never know as long as you will it.” Her brown eyes flashed bright green for a second. “Your parents must be so proud to have such a brilliant child. Shame they’ll only remember you as the traitor who covered for their arch-enemy.”  
  
“You’re the one betraying Asgard and the Chitauri, probably establishing the Tabitha identity a while ago to 'scope out' the area so you could know where he would be. Damn woman, you’re gonna be on the top of a lot of people’s shit lists.”  
  
“I learned from the best.”  
  
“Yeah, I guess Loki would set a pretty good example,” she replied with a casual shrug.

* * *

 **With the Others**  
  
  
Generally familiar places have a relaxing effect on an individual. Returning to the home of the Chitauri had the exact opposite effect on Loki, who had more reason than anyone else to be anxious after they arrived. Courtesy of Sigyn housing her husband’s power within her body she had sensed their presence as soon as the teleportation occurred and they were immediately led to the Other for a negotiation, but he refused to do so until all weapons were temporarily confiscated (Steve’s shield, the Iron Man suit, and Mjolnir being no exception, though the latter proved most difficult to remove). All but the temperature immune jotunn found the realm, or at least the area they were in, quite cold and utterly and dismal.  
  
“You came to us before we even sent out a ransom. Impressive,” the Other remarked as he sized up each member of the team, trying to determine who would pose the greatest threat if the need to take up arms against them arose. “Your minions aren’t as discrete as you might think,” Steve replied with a scoff. The Other sighed. “Unfortunate…I’ll have to remember to execute her kidnapper for that.”  
  
 _Freezing cold, bleak, and the punishment for failure is execution. Natasha must feel right at home here_. “Let’s cut to the chase Emperor Palpatine. What will it take for you to give Dani back to us?”  
  
“The audacity you possess requesting the return of _one_ **living** being,” he snarled at Tony. He looked at Loki. “And you. Do you share a common enemy or are you allies now?”  
  
“A common enemy and a common goal. Nothing more.”  
  
“You wish for the girl’s return as well? That must be what Sigyn was ranting about earlier…I still fail to see what’s so special about this one. Though there must be something there, if she has the one who tried to enslave her planet and race wishing for her to be released. Does Sigyn truly have any reason to envy this girl the way she does?”  
  
“Sigyn has reason to fear for her life,” he snapped. The Other chuckled. “And what poses a threat to her? You? With what power? I warned you that your motivation was lacking, childish. Touch her and Asgard would only have more reason to hate you. Though you already have nothing, so I suppose you have nothing to lose should you so choose to face her.”  
  
“I’m not the one Sigyn should fear.” _Perhaps now would be an appropriate time to tell them, despite what they may have subjected her to, they are currently holding a ticking time bomb._  
  
“What do you want for Dani?” Natasha interrupted as she folded her arms over her chest, losing her patience rapidly.  
  
“The Tesseract,” he replied briskly. “No more, and no less. Promptly. Though I doubt you’ll convince Odin to hand it over for one human. She will die here. What a dreadful feeling it must be to know you failed to save the life of your only child.” He flashed a mocking grin briefly at Tony who looked ready to explode, a vein visibly throbbing in his temple. Steve was no better.  
  
“We will retrieve and deliver it ourselves,” Thor said firmly.  
  
“And what makes your word any more reliable than your brother’s?”  
  
“Do you actually want the damn cube or did you just want to take the time to gloat about kidnapping Dani and getting revenge?” Clint asked angrily. “If you want it so badly why not just take it yourselves? That would defeat the purpose. You’ve already broken Tony and using Loki’s wife…That’s an all time low. Effective, but a hit below the belt. We want her back and we’ll do whatever we need to in order to get her back. You’ll have your stupid cube soon enough.”  
  
“Very well. I impose no time limit but it would be ill-advised to not make haste. Sigyn is not very fond of her, you see, and who am I to order around a Goddess? And I certainly can’t supervise her at all times. If she were to lose her patience with the girl…”  
  
“We need to see her before we leave,” Bruce demanded, doing his absolute best to keep his temper under control.  
  
“Fine. But only one may go.”  
  
“I insist it be me,” Loki said quietly to the others. Before the protests began he added, “I know it was not my child taken from me, but in the event they decide to take any ‘collateral’ it would be best to send a sacrificial lamb. One of relative unimportance and no ability to fight back. I am expendable.”

* * *

 **The Prison**  
  
  
“And that was how I convinced the Allfather to release Loki from his imprisonment after killing Baldr. Oh, and the wedding! It was such a beautiful celebration.  We were married before he killed his brother you see-”  
  
“You know I stopped listening to you like ten minutes ago right?” Danielle said in a bored tone. “I really don’t give a shit about your ‘relationship’ with Loki. And I don’t know why you insist on telling me about it either. Your voice is becoming more and more grating by the second.”  
  
“I am a Goddess you insignificant little cretin!” she yelled into Danielle’s cell, angrily gripping the bars, “and you will address me as such!”  
  
“Nah, I’m good.” She waved a hand dismissingly and Sigyn’s upper lip curled in frustration. “I should strike you down right now,” she growled. “But I don’t think your visitor would enjoy watching that. They are sending one of them down to see you.”  
  
“Yay. It’s just gonna be a Panic Fest when they see my leg.” She nodded to her spreading infection. “Fun times.” Sigyn was about to offer a snide reply but suddenly knit her brow. “That can’t be right,” she muttered to herself and looked over her shoulder.  
  
“FINALLY. You’re done talking to me and decided to start talking to yourself. Glorious. That’s honestly the highlight of my day.” She watched a confused Sigyn turn away and eye the end of the corridor, which was out of her own line of sight. _Not Chitauri footsteps. Just one pair? Who would they send unsupervised? Any of them could easily- HOLD UP. That sounds like…Metal? But it’s not Uncle Thor, his footsteps are heavier than that. Holy shit, did he really go with them? They know my secret now. I’m so grounded…_ Danielle mustered her strength and stood up, doing her best not to put pressure on her sickly looking leg. She approached the door to her cell and gasped. _Well son of a bitch. Loki did come. And he looks like he jumped right out of that picture that Nick showed me when I was six. Not really freaked out by it anymore. If anything it’s making me nostalgic for those bedtime stories about how he got his ass kicked. Sigyn’s shaking though. That’s funny. Why’s she afraid? She has his power. Then again she’s safe from him on Midgard because of the human identities. Anywhere else…Oh this is gonna be good._ She broke into a lopsided grin both at the sight of her frenemy and the thought of the impending drama she would be able to witness.  
  
“Even here you parade around in that ridiculous costume you conjured up?” Loki remarked as he approached the human form of Sigyn. She quickly shifted into her true form as if demonstrating her power to try and intimidate him. Danielle was still confused by what had frightened her so much. If Sigyn manipulated Odin into letting them wed and had been with him for hundreds of years when he did have power there must have been something she wasn’t taking into account or wasn’t aware of.  
  
“Why are you here?” she asked nervously.  
  
“To see Danielle, of course. What’s the matter? Still feeling a little jealous? Underappreciated even?” he mocked.  
  
 _Why would she be jealous? Oh for the love of fuck, she thinks me and him…That explains everything. Telling me about the two of them, she thought she was BRAGGING. Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘green-eyed monster’. What I wouldn’t give to see him pimp slap her._ Resting her elbows on the large metal lock on the door Danielle grinned at Sigyn. “Jealous of _me_? But I’m just a wittle bitty human girl! What’s that you were saying about how I should treat you like a Goddess?”  
  
“You shut your mou-!” Danielle reached out through the metal bars and grabbed Sigyn by the throat. “No,” she whispered harshly, “you shut yours. Just for, I dunno, ten minutes at the least? Come on, that’s not asking a lot, right?” Sigyn tried to pry her hands off but Danielle’s rage gave her such an adrenaline rush that the SSS in her very DNA was as potent as ever, greatly reducing her pain, though she still doubted it could fight off the alien contagion. The woman who had been antagonizing her was finally within arm’s reach and the image of the proximity alone was enough to bring out all the frustration she had been forcibly suppressing, trying not to show any emotion whatsoever in her captivity. Sigyn was trapped between a spiteful husband whom she knew could easily plot her demise and see it through if the resources were made available to him and a girl she had caged like a rabid animal with the capacity to act as such. Danielle wouldn’t dare pass up such an opportunity to let out some of her pent up emotionality, especially the anger on the one who caused and amplified it constantly.  
  
“Is that really necessary Danielle?” he asked with a hint of amusement in his eyes, pretending to scold her as he reached her cell. _I do hope the Other took me seriously when I told him I’m not the one Sigyn has to fear._ She smirked and let go of Sigyn, who quickly backed away coughing, trying to catch her breath. There were deep purple lines from Danielle’s finger encircling her throat. “No, but it was funny,” she snickered. “You’re lucky you weren’t in your humansuit or I could’ve popped your head off, kinda like that game kids play with dandelions.”  
  
“You’re lucky I-!”  
  
“Did I not already tell you to shut your fucking mouth?!” she yelled.  
  
“I can’t wait to execute you!” she snapped and stormed off, still trembling slightly while rubbing the sore bruises. Danielle gave her a friendly wave and then turned her attention to her visitor. She dropped her chin in her palm. “I’ve been waiting to do that for so long. So…come here often?” Despite the situation he couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s nice to see you’ve managed to maintain your sense of humor, considering your circumstances.”  
  
“Dude, my sense of humor is all I’ve got right now to get through this.”  
  
“You don’t give yourself enough credit. I know how the Chitauri operate. They’ve tried to break you, haven’t they? But here you stand before me unfazed.” She shrugged off his compliment. “Yeah, I guess this hasn’t really affected me very much on a psychological level. But I suppose that’s because their efforts are being wasted. Points to Sigyn for effort and tenacity though. She really likes the sound of her own voice. But this whole thing?” She waved a finger around, motioning towards the confines of her cell. “Lost cause.”  
  
“And what makes you say that?”  
  
“You’re here, aren’t you? Or is this just a hallucination? I’ve been trying to come up with new ways to amuse myself to help pass the time. Hallucinating…That wasn’t something I thought of…” Her voice began to trail off and then she shook her head, bringing herself back to reality. “Spacing, sorry. So how come you’re here instead of one of my parents?”  
  
“It would have been too great a risk.”  
  
“…they wanna pop you like a water balloon, and you thought sending someone else is risky?”  
  
“I’m powerless and, unlike your parents, inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.” She frowned. “Pretty sure that’s not for you to decide, if we’re talking about being important to me. I certainly don’t want you to get popped like a water balloon. I’d be sad. What fun would life be without you around to banter with and antagonize me?”  
  
“If only I could say the same to you,” he teased. Her jaw dropped. “You’re so mean. I’m in a fucking prison cell and you’re still giving me a hard time. Don’t make me unleash the pout. ‘Cause I will, like a boss.”  
  
“I’m shaking.”  
  
“As well you should be. So, I, uh…” She looked left and right and then turned back to him. “Sigyn really needs to watch what she says. She revealed her plans to me. Fucking idiot. She’s so arrogant…Did you get that from her or was it the other way around?” She tried not to laugh at the annoyed look on his face.  
  
“Ignoring that-”  
  
“And the question has been answered!”  
  
“What information did you manage to garner from her?” he asked in a hushed tone. She leaned closer. “Believe me when I say this couldn’t be any more cliché and hackneyed. It’s like every fairy tale plot device recycled into one very elaborate and over-the-top plan.”  
  
“Don’t tell me…”  
  
“Oh yeah. And she’s going all out too. Long story short she wants the Tesseract and the throne of Asgard for herself, and because she’s your wife your power was left ‘in her care’ for lack of better words. Her eyes turned bright green and everything, it was weird.”  
  
“That would explain her fear. She didn’t anticipate that I would temporarily ally with your family. I suspected she held my power as well. There was no other explanation for her ability to alter her form, or mentally teleport. Magic was never her strong suit. Being a nuisance on the other hand, that is something she is very adept at as you and I are both painfully aware of.”  
  
“Mentally teleport?” The blonde cocked her head to the side in curiosity.  
  
“Transporting the consciousness instead of the body. She brought me here, except the last time I saw you, you were in a torture chamber.”  
  
“I was. I woke up in this cell not too long ago. I hope that means the torture is over. My body could handle it of course but for that very reason they were able to keep doing it and doing it and…” She cringed. “Yeah, not fun.”  
  
“What did they do to your leg?” he asked glancing down. She put her free hand on her hip. “Now you’re checking me out? Still creepy as ever. It’s some bug I contracted from ‘unsterile torture devices’. At least that’s what the Other said.”  
  
“That would explain the implied urgency in handing over the Tesseract. That looks like it’s deteriorating your skin. Has it spread?”  
  
“Entire leg and I can feel it in my lower abdomen. It hurt like a bitch but after all those endorphins my brain just puked into my bloodstream I should be good for awhile.”  
  
“That disease will kill you,” he replied gravely. “Sigyn said you would be destroyed from the inside-out. She must have orchestrated this.”  
  
“Same way she orchestrated the Odinsleep?”  
  
“She what?”  
  
“I dunno how but she did,” she said with a shrug. “Or at least she implied it. Whoa, whoa, whoa, did you say you’re gonna give them the cube? No, for the love of fuck don’t hand it over. Don’t do it,” she pleaded. He shook his head and assured her in a low voice, “We won’t. There are still the finer details to work out but when I, I mean when we return we will be leaving with both you and the Tesseract.”  
  
“Alright, now you have to tell me, because I have no fucking clue how you’re gonna pull that off. Why are you doing this for me?” she asked quietly.  
  
“I’m indebted to you.” She dropped her forehead against the bars. “What the hell…Really?” She glanced up. “Because I ‘showed you the error of your ways’ or something like that? Come on, get a little more original why don’t you! Your reasoning for trying to enslave all of humanity was kinda creative. You’ve lost your touch.” She clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “I’m disappointed in you, Loki. But I’m guessing you went to them, so since I didn’t tell them that means you won’t tell me why you give a fuck, which was the deal we made. Now that I think about it I guess it doesn’t really matter. I mean, you’re here. That’s all that matters to me anymore.”  _Why is his reasoning so important to me?  And why is his presence so...comforting?_  
  
He gripped the bars to her cell. “You have risked your life to ensure my security in Midgard without warrant or reason. Through your unwanted, unwelcome, and unwavering selflessness –as unorthodox as it may be- you have successfully begun to challenge my disdain for humans, my brother, my father, and myself. But don't ever tell Thor I called him that. And I would more than gladly put my life on the line if that’s what it takes to see you through this.”  
  
“The fuck you will!” she barked angrily. “You’ve come waaaaaaay too far to start playing hero so recklessly like that! And stop using my existence as a way of measuring your self-worth! There is more to you than what I’ve done for you, there’s more to you than me.”  
  
“You believe that everything happens for a reason and if that is so then I refuse to believe we met so you could get yourself killed for my sake.”  
  
“Well we didn’t meet so you could get yourself killed for mine!”  
  
“It would make far more sense than the converse,” he countered fiercely. She narrowed her eyes at him and then shook it off. “We’re never going to come to any kind of middle ground on that one, so let’s just drop it.”  
  
“It’s my fault you’re here right now,” he insisted.  
  
“I concede. You’re not going to drop it.”  
  
“And can you blame me for that?”  
  
“Way to undermine my agency. Everything I did, I did out of my own accord. I got myself here. I knew there would be consequences, though I didn’t know they would be this dangerous, but I acted regardless.”  
  
He paused and suddenly avoided eye contact. “I should have pushed you away when I had the chance.”  
  
She felt a sharp pain in her heart, like the twist of a serrated blade. “Had the chance huh? Too attached to get rid of me now?” She bit her lip, confused by the pain slowly weaving its way through her chest. “Well I’m glad you didn’t. And not just because I firmly believe it would’ve been a bajillion times harder for you to succeed doing it alone. But for my own selfish reasons. Something about finally in my weird life having someone outside my family I can relate to and get along with without having to worry about being used. At least not worry about that anymore that is, because the fear was certainly there initially,” she quickly added. “It’s refreshing. Not to mention being able to give a shit about someone who isn’t part of my family…That’s new. And I enjoy novel experiences. Pun intended. Kinda like the _Demian_ quote about the sanctioned world and how it means breaking free to finally be able to act on my own principle, not just go with what's expected of me.”  
  
“‘You knew all along that your sanctioned world was only half the world and you tried to suppress the second half the way the priests and teachers do. You won't succeed. No one succeeds in this once he has begun to think’.”  
  
“Yup, that one. And ya know if you had done that, the harder you tried the harder I’d pursue you. I mean, ya know, to be an angel of mercy and compassion and whatever the fuck I’ve been doing this whole time.” _Whoa girl, what the hell? Where is this sudden bout of nervousness coming from?_  
  
“You are by far the most frustrating individual I’ve ever had the pleasure of encountering.” She put a hand on her cheek. “Oh stop, you’re making me blush,” she said in a high-pitched voice pretending to sound embarrassed. “You really have no idea how much I missed being able to annoy you.”  
  
“As masochistic as this might sound the company of your family has made me very nostalgic for being annoyed.”  
  
 _He's not doing it this time...That look on his face he kept making..._ “Now that I think about it…” She looked down at the ground, actively avoiding eye contact. “I just missed you, period.”  
  
“Someone looks rather red,” he noticed. She snorted. “Well no shit, my face is covered in blood.”  
  
“That’s not what I was referring to.”  
  
 _Things are getting stupid._ “…you should probably get going before we this any more awkward that it already is,” she said quickly.  
  
“Someone sounds nervous.” _As enjoyable as it is to mock her, something’s not quite right this time…_  
  
“Someone’s going to get his ass kicked like there’s no tomorrow once I’m outta this place if he doesn’t shut up,” she growled, leaning her head as close out as she possibly good, glaring him down.  
  
“I’m shaking.”  
  
“And I’m about to spit in your face!”  
  
“You truly are the epitome of maturity.  And quite intimidating as well. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered anything more terrifying before.”  
  
“Really? ‘Cause I can change that and get even scarier.”  
  
“I welcome the attempt.” She glowered and kneed him the stomach. It caused no pain as he was armored once again and she was weak but it certainly caught him off guard. “What was that for?!” he hissed.  
  
“I had this hilarious image in my head of you being legitimately terrified of me and kneeling before me so I decided to be stupid and see how close I could get to making it happen. Didn’t work, but, well, I had fun.”  
  
“Must you keep mocking me for my past mistakes?” he asked with undertones of regret. She blinked in surprise. “Did…you just admit…to all of that being a mistake?”  
  
“Need I repeat myself?”  
  
“No, no, listen to me. You’re pretty much guaranteed to get your powers and title back now.”  
  
“Nothing is ever guaranteed, Danielle.”  
  
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” she replied firmly, almost startling him with her tone. He shook his head. “You’ve created enough trouble for yourself on my behalf. Don’t you dare interfere with any judgment which awaits me.”  
  
“Jeez Loki, it’s like you don’t know me at all.”  
  
“Danielle, I’m serious.”  
  
“So am I! First of all I don’t want my efforts to go to waste. Second, I may be biased but so are they, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they pulled a Senator Stern and desperately attempted to put an argument together to skewer you. I already have one of my own lined up. And I’ll be damned if I don’t get the chance to throw it in their faces.”  
  
“You have absolutely no idea what you would be up against.”  
  
“The same could be said for them.”  
  
“There is no point in arguing with you…”  
  
“Of course not. I always win.” She smiled again. “In all seriousness I do have an actual defense already lined up for you. But we’ll deal with that when we get there. For now just focus on putting your plan together.”  
  
“You mean getting you out of here.”  
  
“And people call me stubborn. Oh, um, do I still have an extension on that essay?” He hung his head and sighed. “You were in a torture chamber, currently coated in layer upon layer of your own blood, ill and malnourished, and you’re asking me about that fucking essay?” he asked putting a hand to his forehead. “I will never understand how you prioritize things.”  
  
“But school is important,” she protested with a whine.  
  
“I’m not your teacher. Your life is in danger. And my soon to be ex-wife wants to take over Asgard.”  
  
“You two really are perfect for each other,” she teased.  
  
“For the love of Yggdrasil,” he muttered. “This is no laughing matter. Are you delusional from the illness?”  
  
“That depends. Are you really purple or am I hallucinating? I thought you were supposed to turn blue…Don’t look so frantic, I’m joking. Remember, all I have is my sense of humor.”  
  
“I can’t help but feel as if you aren’t taking your situation seriously.” She huffed. “Of course I am. I trust you. You don’t get that a lot, do ya?” She grinned in amusement at the shocked expression on his face. “Not often as of late.” _What did I ever do to earn her trust? I didn’t kill her and I’m sure she believed I might have tried at one point. Suppose that would warrant trust._ “And you aren’t the least bit worried?” She shook her head. “Or scared?” She shook her head again. Raising an eyebrow at her he replied, “Even in my current state I can still detect a lie.” She heaved a sigh. “I just don’t want you guys worrying about me right now. Focus on what you have to do to get me back instead fretting over whether or not you will.”  
  
“That’s asking a lot of us. You know that as well as I.”  
  
“Can’t blame me for trying. You guys are gonna try and pull some really crazy stunt to get me out of here. I want you to do it right, and ya can’t do that if you’re distracted.”  
  
“I can’t speak for the others but I haven’t been able to do much of anything without being ‘distracted’ lately. It’s not a thought that can easily be brushed aside.”  
  
“Then try harder,” she replied in a snarky tone.  
  
“I’m starting to wonder if that selflessness of yours is really a lack of self-worth on your own part,” he said coming off far more acerbically than intended. She blinked in surprise. “I…Maybe that empathetic streak of mine ran deeper than I thought.”  
  
 _Damn it._ His hands dropped down the bars and rested on the enormous lock. “Danielle, I didn’t-”  
  
She shook her head quickly to silence him. “No, I think you might be right. I’m serious. Because this whole time everything I’ve been doing has revolved around Operation: Redemption, which…is where I’ve been deriving my self-worth from. Shit, we really are interdependent on each other.” She chuckled cynically and shook her head. “Rather we’re just using each other to create some kind of purpose for ourselves. Wow. Fuck selflessness. I’m taking advantage of your inferiority complex to treat my own. No wonder we get along so well!” she said with a genuine smile. “You should probably get going so you guys can start scheming. But I need you to do me a favor. Please, please, please stop blaming yourself for where I am right now. I put myself here. And I refuse to let you take credit for my screw up. That and you need a break from the self-loathing. Or at least try. Can you do that for me?” she asked gently, putting her hands on top of his. _What are my hands doing?  Did they just develop a mind of their own?  I do really want him to stop...After everything Thor told me about how he used to be, and seeing him suffering now...Enough is enough, and I'll be damned if I can't change that!  Or at the very least be there for him...A loveless marriage, envying his brother, feeling unloved by his father, hated by Asgard...I doubt there's anyone in the entire universe lonelier than this guy.  What I wouldn't give..._  
  
“I suppose this incessant guilt isn’t accomplishing anything,” he muttered.  
  
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you this whole time!” she exclaimed. “And it’s not until I end up getting kidnapped that it sinks in. Invest that mental energy in finding a way to get me out of here if you’re so dead set on it, instead of moanin’ and groanin’ about me being here. It’s not your fault. And even if it were…it’s not all that bad.”  
  
“How do you figure?”  
  
“A quote from Hesse himself. “Often it is the most deserving people who cannot help loving those who destroy them.” The question is who’s destroying who? You sending me here, or my actions causing you to feel all that additional guilt?” She nodded toward the way from which he came. “Now skedaddle. That’s an order.”  
  
“…that isn’t the best choice of words when trying to convince someone to leave.” _Did she…? She didn’t. She couldn’t. Why would…? If that’s the reason our paths crossed I wouldn’t complain, but, she wouldn’t make the same implication everyone else has been. She’s just antagonizing me as per usual.  Why wouldn’t I complain?  Damn girl is still getting under my skin._  
  
“Too bad. I do what I want. Now move it, bitch.” She gave his hands a light squeeze. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’ve already made it this far. Oh, one more favor. When you see my parents again go up to them, say ‘I love you’, let the awkward silence kick in and wait a few seconds, then say ‘Dani wanted me to tell that’.” She giggled at the image of the horrified looks on her parents’ faces if they heard Loki say that he loved them. She leaned forward, resting her head against the bars. “I’ll be okay. Nothing could ever come between me and my ability to irritate the ever living shit out of you.”  
  
“Interesting word choice.” She felt heat rising in her cheeks when their fingers were suddenly laced together. “But considering the source they’re reassuring.”  She gulped nervously and noticed out of the corner of her eye the thing she had been observing for the past few weeks.  Whenever he lied his left eye twitched slightly.  Instead all she saw was longing.  Had she seen her reflection she would know that she had the very same expression.


	20. Things Left Unsaid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, it's Dani and Loki as a dog and a little girl! https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/947356_506955282693124_1098571656_n.jpg

Hardly to his surprise Loki was bombarded with questions after leaving the prison chambers. Yes, Danielle is alive. Yes, Sigyn keeps threatening to kill her but can’t act upon it. Yes, Sigyn’s plans now extend beyond torturing him. Yes, she is going to betray the Chitauri. And yes, time is absolutely against them because of the illness she contracted. The only secret he kept was the final few moments of the exchange, partially because no one had asked and even if they had he wouldn’t know how to explain it. He kept telling himself Danielle was just a child, and despite the fact that in Asgardian (and potentially Jotunn) years he was barely her senior he couldn’t. He still didn’t even know what it was he wasn’t allowing himself to do. Something about her Herman Hesse quote struck a nerve with him. He also hadn’t realized up until that point, as he hadn’t seen Sigyn in quite some time, that they had the same hair and eye color; blonde hair and blue eyes was a common characteristic of those hailing from Asgard, which may have been a factor in his initial disdain towards her persistence in helping him as Sigyn had tried to do the same. But whereas hers was done out of selfishness, Danielle’s had nothing to do with her own gain (if there even was anything she could gain from it all). The similar appearance may have been a contributing factor to the attraction, if there was any to speak of, which he would vehemently deny. He still regretted accusing her of acting out of similar motive to Sigyn’s and decided as soon as she was free and in their care an apology was absolutely necessary, regardless of the fact that she agreed with him.  
  
Leaving the home of the Chitauri was as easy as arriving but a new challenge arose- they couldn’t agree on where to go. Half of the Avengers wanted to return to Earth and formulate their plan there while the other half wanted to venture to Asgard and create one in tangent with generating support from at the least Sif and the Warriors Three, but ideally Frigga herself. Much to his chagrin Loki was forced into the position of being the tie-breaker. As far as he was concerned the most logical step was to go to Asgard but it was the last place he wanted to step foot, the Chitauri home being a dangerously close second, pun certainly intended. It all came down to what was in Danielle’s best interest, and the sooner they could acquire the Tesseract the better. That required being within proximity of it. And that required a trip to Asgard.  
  
“This isn’t gonna hurt right?” Clint asked apprehensively, trailing behind the group. He wasn’t very keen on the idea of what Thor had eloquently described as being “sucked into another dimension”. Natasha rolled her eyes and dragged him along. “Don’t be a cry baby. We were outvoted, but be an adult about it. Dani’s in trouble, in case you forgot.”  
  
“Why so anxious to leave? Somewhere this cold and miserable, I thought it would’ve reminded you of home.”  
  
“Tony, I’m going to poison your food.”  
  
“In Soviet Russia, your food poisons you.” Natasha pulled out her gun and aimed for his head. “One more Soviet Russia joke and I swear-!”  
  
“To the Motherland?”  
  
“Knock it off you two,” Steve commanded more paternally than authoritatively. The deteriorating coherence between the group troubled him far more than it did their abilities they would have to draw from to save his daughter; the latter stemmed directly from the former if they wanted to accomplish their objective in their prime. Natasha put her gun back in the holster and turned away from Tony, arms folded over her chest. “Jackass,” she muttered under her breath. “When will we be transported?” the leader asked Thor, who shrugged. “I’m not sure why we haven’t been already. Though I think it may have to do with a fraction of the party…”  
  
“Just say it.”  
  
“Heimdall is under order to not allow you back into Asgard,” he replied to Loki. “Not until you are given explicit permission to return by the Allfather.”  
  
“Who is currently trapped in Odinsleep courtesy of Sigyn? Deliberate, no doubt. I’m counting down the days for the Chitauri to realize her true motives and mangle her…”  
  
“He may be willing to make an exception considering the special circumstances. But I doubt he enjoyed being frozen…” He raised an eyebrow at Loki, whose shoulders dropped. “You’re joking.”  
  
“It’s worth a try. He is listening, after all.” Loki sighed in defeat. “I’m sorry for freezing you…” he muttered.  
  
“It’s a start brother, but perhaps you should say it like you mean it?” the thunder God advised. Loki growled in annoyance. “Fine! I’m sorry I froze you!” Within a fraction of a second after the words escaped his lips the party of seven was immediately whisked away from the Chitauri planet to Heimdall’s station.  
  
The gatekeeper eyed Loki suspiciously. “Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” he mocked.  
  
“Always a pleasure seeing you,” he replied sarcastically.  
  
“Heimdall, we have come to-”  
  
“I already know why you are here, Thor,” he interrupted. “And while I certainly can’t condone handing over one of Asgard’s most prized possessions for one human, I trust the plan is to trick them into believing there will be an exchange. And now that Sigyn has verbalized her plan, despite the distance I overheard amply. That girl you wish to save is suffering greatly in attempt to, among other things, keep her objectives from coming to fruition. And because Sigyn has caused the Odinsleep she poses an even greater threat to Asgard, Midgard, every realm than…someone.” He briefly glanced at Loki. “The girl is the only thing standing between Sigyn and the power she craves. On principle I will allow you entry. Despite my better judgment.” He glanced suspiciously at Loki once more, but it wasn’t betrayal he was suspecting. He had seen more than Danielle’s exchange with Sigyn.

* * *

  
 **Prison Chamber**  
  
  
Danielle had been almost completely incapacitated now that the contagion had spread to her other leg and began causing muscular atrophy as it slowly worked its way through her system. It had risen up from her lower abdomen to her torso, no doubt infecting her liver, kidneys, intestines, and stomach. Layers of flesh were slowly unraveling and peeling away, causing the slightest amount of contact to result in a burning sensation. “I really hope my parents don’t want grandkids,” she muttered to herself, clutching her midsection in pain. “This crap has probably withered away my ovaries too…That’s probably one of the weirdest things I’ve ever said aloud, and I’ve said some pretty weird shit in my lifetime.”  
  
Sigyn had left the girl alone after having almost been choked to death despite the fact that she was no longer dangerous. The disease was killing her but even in her emaciated state she could still muster up a death glare when she felt the need. The Other however had yet to be intimidated by her and was fascinated by how the Chitauri illness was affecting a being without an exoskeleton; he was treating her less like a hostage and more like a lab experiment, which she did her best to ignore. Her body was already doing a good enough job reminding her of her medical predicament.  
  
“Did you have a nice visit?” She groaned partially in pain, but mostly in annoyance. “Don’t you have a planet to run or something? You’re the boss around here right? I never get a break…” _Fuck this pain, fuck this pain, fuck this pain…They’re not going to get the Tesseract. No way can they convince Asgard to hand it over, even if they, I dunno, attempt a fake out or something. Well, at least Loki finally has a chance to get back at his sociopathic wife…I hope he gets his powers back. Gah, fucking Sigyn…She’s wrong, I know she’s wrong, but DAMN IT that comment really got under my skin. Being remembered as the traitor…They won’t. They couldn’t. Not even if they wanted to._ She looked over in his direction. “As much as I hate to say it, Barbie is right. They won’t let you have the Tesseract for me. They’ll try to get it, but let’s be real here. Handing it over…for me? What’s possessed you into thinking that would happen?”  
  
“Before Sigyn came to us we swore vengeance on Loki. And the only thing that would stop us from hunting him down and tormenting him would be to finally hand over what is ours. And you were born not long after your father decimated over half of my people. What more could we possible need to make his life a living nightmare than to take what he cherishes most in exchange for the cube as well? His connection, as well as yours, to Thor would make it so. The brothers would be competing for it, turning Asgard to ruins. And when they finally destroyed themselves we would infiltrate and pry it from their cold, dead fingers. But then Sigyn came to us with invaluable power and information and we changed our plans accordingly.”  
  
The adolescent smacked her forehead. _Sigyn equals liar, liar, pants on fire!_ “In the immortal words of Die Antwoord, “If you haven’t got it by now then you’re never gonna get it”. Also, “Fuck what you think, I do what I want”. So if this bacteria kills me before they get the cube, what do you have to convince ‘em to hand it over?”  
  
“Blame. Loki promised it, but your father needs it, and if you die before he can acquire it whose fault will it be? In his eyes of course.”  
  
“Not Loki’s, since they both want me back. They’ll work together to get it.”  
  
“True, that seems to be the shared objective. We will hold you for as long as possible but if they fail to produce the cube before your death they have no one to blame but themselves.”  
  
“And that gets you the cube…how?”  
  
“Sigyn is still in Odin’s good graces. She could steal it, if it came down to that.”  
  
 _Take it? Sure. Deliver? Go right ahead and tell yourself that buddy._ “You know that, unless Uncle Thor steps up, she’s next in line for the throne right now, right? Being Loki’s wife and all. How do you know you can trust her? She holds his power after all. She could try and snag the Tesseract for herself.” She couldn’t help but grin when she noticed the curious look on his face. She could tell he was taking her words into consideration, and the thought probably hadn’t crossed his mind before; he was too blinded by his desperation at an attempt at getting revenge that as soon as the first tempting offer came along he couldn’t help but try to take advantage of it immediately. Danielle had a feeling Sigyn may have been counting on that all along. The Other turned to her.  
  
“What do you know?” he asked in low, grating voice that made her shudder slightly. She shook her head. “Just that I hate that bitch. That’s all.” _Crap. I can’t say much more or they might find out about Asgard being unsafe…But it’s so tempting knowing he’d beat the shit out of her if he knew what she was doing! Wait, am I good liar?_  
  
“I’m fairly certain it’s mutual. She’s convinced that you’re taking her husband away from her.”  
  
“And she cares why? He never cared about her to begin with, and I’m fairly certain she doesn’t give a shit about him…She only cares about what she can get through him. She’s a greedy bitch.” She cringed, gritting her teeth, and wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Fuck this disease! Is it this painful for you guys?”  
  
“Sometimes things must worsen before they can improve. There is pain, yes, but unlike you there is a regeneration process which follows deterioration.”  
  
“So, just to be sure I have a solid grasp on this, my insides are corroding, and my skin is slowly going along with it?”  
  
“Yes, that would seem to be the situation. It’s fascinating.”  
  
“What can I say? I was born to be in the spotlight,” she replied hazily. _Ugh, my head is killing me. Is this just a headache or has the damn thing infiltrated my brain? Nah, if it was in my brain I think I’d be in far worse shape. It’s official, I’m dying here._  
  
The Other gave no response, and left her to her solitude. She grit her teeth again, eyes squeezed tightly shut. _I feel like someone keeps firing a nuke beneath my ribcage. I can’t believe I wish Sigyn were here, but she might yank another heavy dose of endorphins outta my brain to kill this pain for a bit._ She leaned her head back against the cold, stone wall and sighed deeply. _And what the hell was up with Loki before he left? Did we…hold hands or something? Maybe I really am becoming delusional…Oh joy, my temperature is going up now. Wait, that happened when me and him…My temperature is going up because I’m remembering those last few moments. Quite possibly the last time I may ever see him, now that I think about it._ She felt her throat tighten. _And that…is…a thought far more painful than what I’m feeling right now. How is that even possible? The thought of never seeing my family again should be far worse but- Nice going. Now I feel shittier. Seriously though, why does that bother me so much? Probably because I’d like to be able to see him succeed, all our efforts come to fruition. I mean my efforts that led to his. What is with my face?! I’m blushing, aren’t I?_ She exhaled deeply. _I guess Sigyn has reason to be jealous after all._

* * *

  
 **The Asgardian Palace**  
  
  
“The best plan we can come up with is a fake out? That’s never going to work! ‘Give us Dani, then we’ll give you the cube’, and blow their brains out after we get her back? Come on people, think harder!” an anxious, pacing Tony commanded. Forehead in hand, Natasha snapped, “It’s a little hard to think with you pacing like that.”  
  
“Oh I’m sorry for being a little nervous right now, but funny story- my daughter is currently being held prisoner by fucking aliens and suffering from a disease that’s eating away at her insides like a corrosive acid! Can you blame me?!”  
  
“I know she’s your daughter but you’re not her only family here! We’ll all frustrated and worried, in case you didn’t notice!”  
  
“Alright you two, break it up,” Clint said stepping in between them. Natasha glared at both and then turned away, folding her arms over her chest and cursing in Russian under her breath. “We won’t be able to fight anyone if we’re too busy fighting amongst ourselves, ” the archer added, echoing Steve's concern. Tony ignored them both and continued pacing.  
  
After entering the palace they were greeted by the handmaidens of Frigga, who was the only being with any authority in the realm at the current moment. As such she had become incredibly busy and they had to wait before they could appeal to her. Through proxy orders issued by Frigga’s most trusted and capable handmaiden Gna, Loki was to remain under the constant supervision of his brother; the alternative was to return to the Asgardian prison he had left but a few months ago until the Avengers needed him again (if they felt they needed him at all). The small group had spent the time since their arrival deliberating in Thor’s bedroom but despite the cunning, genius, and tactical minds present no measurable progress was made in terms of creating a plan. Half the problem was convincing the queen to let them have the Tesseract and take it to the Chitauri realm, and the other was how they were going to convince the Chitauri to release Danielle without losing the cube in the process.  
  
“Who is beneath your mother in the chain of command?” Steve asked Thor. “If she were also incapable of ruling, who would the throne default to?”  
  
“Myself, I suppose. Are you suggesting I temporarily take it so we need not rely on the permission of another to take the cube?”  
  
“It would solve half the problem,” Bruce replied. “And when this is all over you can denounce it and hand it back to your mother,” Steve added. “Would you be willing to do that?”  
  
“It would increase our numbers,” Loki pointed out, breaking his long silence. “If Sif were to rise from warrior to warrior queen the entirety of Asgard’s army would be under your control.  That's not to say she wouldn't without an established hierarchy but she would be obligated.  And if that were so Tyr would be obligated as well.”  
  
“Sif…That female warrior friend of yours?” Natasha asked. He nodded. “Yes…and wife…It is a platonic relationship, the arrangement was political.  She is not a Goddess of war, but a Goddess who has proven strength and skill to be recognized as one of the strongest in Asgard.  And Tyr is our step-brother.  My mother's biological son.”

" **Your** brother," Loki corrected.  Even though Frigga was the only family member he still felt any semblance of a connection to that did not extend to those she called family as well.  Thor ignored his comment and added, "Sif was once the strongest female warrior in Asgard, and perhaps the only.  Over the years she had proven herself to be the strongest, something unheard of.  She has been charged with leading and training our army.  Tyr is obligated by expectation alone, as he is the God of war."  
  
Tony briefly pausing from his pacing. “So we have access to the cube and an army through your connections, king or not. We still have no idea how to ensure Dani is returned to us without giving them the cube.”  
  
“Thor being king might be enough, actually,” Bruce said. “We said we would do anything to get the cube and her, didn’t we? What better way to show how determined we are than to usurp a throne? They wouldn’t need to know it’s temporary of course but it could be a testament to conviction.”

* * *

  
 **The Prison Cell**  
  
  
“Ninety-nine vials of SSS on the wall, ninety-nine vials on the wall. Grab a vial, inject and after awhile you have a super soldier to make the Nazis fall. Ninety-eight vials of SSS on the wall, ninety-eight vials on the wall. Grab a vial, inject and after awhile you have two super soldiers to make the Nazis fall…” Danielle opened her mouth to continue singing to occupy the time but felt a sharp pain shoot through her throat. She began coughing violently, sending her insides into a fit. She could hear small popping sounds in her chest and felt her ribs begin to crack as she continued coughing. She pulled her hand away from covering her mouth when she felt a warm fluid coating it and a metallic taste in her mouth. She held up her shaking arm and saw red trickles running down her palm to her forearm, blood splattering the floor as she continued coughing. Her heart rate was rapidly escalating.  
  
 _Am I…dying?_ Like barbed tendrils weaving through the spaces in between her muscles, tissue, and bones she could feel the infection spread throughout her entire respiratory system and with an iron grip reach out and take hold of her spinal cord. The unbearable pain shot along her spinal cord, puncturing every nerve and vertebrae until it reached her shoulder blades and snaked into her arms. She was entirely paralyzed from the neck down and her vocal cords had shriveled away. Half of her central nervous system was still preserved in her brain but most of her peripheral nervous system was completely worn away. The only upside to her body falling apart at the current was she could no longer feel it.  
  
An all too familiar laugh echoed from the end of the dungeon corridor, accompanied by the light footsteps of Sigyn. “Sounds like someone’s ‘super soldier’ body is finally succumbing to the disease,” she said with a broad smile, standing before Danielle’s cell. She knit her eyebrows in confusion, noticing Sigyn had her hands behind her back. She looked at her arms, then up at her face, her clothes now covered in the spurts of blood that she kept spewing.  
  
“He told me, the Other that is, that you were very sickly looking. Guess what?” She leaned forward and whispered loudly. “You’re dying right now. How sad that the ‘all powerful and mighty Danielle’ is taken out by a little cut which became infected. Pathetic really. But don’t worry, Sigyn’s here to make it all better.” She revealed behind her back was the key to Danielle’s cell, which she slowly opened and stepped inside. “I’m sure you can’t feel anything right now but the psychological torment must be just as unbearable as the physical pain was, if not worse.” She walked up to the girl, still smiling. Danielle gulped nervously, swallowing back a mouthful of blood. Her heart rate was so fast that her body could barely keep up, inhibiting her ability to breath and she was becoming very lightheaded. Sigyn knelt down next to her.  
  
“I don’t know why I was afraid of you. Perhaps when Loki is here there’s a little more to you, but you’re back to being the helpless little human you’ve been since we brought you here.” She slowly turned towards the blonde Goddess and blinked her eyes rhythmically. Sigyn’s eyes widened in horror when she realized Danielle was relaying a message to her in Morse code. ‘You should have kept your mouth shut.’  
  
She balled her fists angrily. “Little bitch. So now Loki knows? Well there’s nothing he can do. He has no power and I highly doubt he has anyone’s trust either. And I know they plan to steal the Tesseract. What do you think Odin would do if he were to suddenly wake up and find it missing, only to be told by me that they took it? What do think he would do?” She blinked at Sigyn again righty before deliberately coughing up blood in her face. She gasped in disgust, wiping it away and sneering at the adolescent. “You really believe Odin will think he’s reformed? If I couldn’t change him, what has you so convinced you did?!”  
  
‘What reason does he have to listen to someone who doesn’t care about him?’  
  
“Care about him? That idiot’s heart is like his blood, made of ice. You really think that you could possibly hold it and not get frostbitten?!”  
  
‘I’m not afraid of the cold.’  
  
She glowered at Danielle, shaking with rage. “I’ll give you something to be afraid of.”

* * *

  
 **Heimdall’s Station**  
  
  
“How does it feel to finally be king?  Even if only for a little while.”  
  
“Disingenuous,” Thor said deadpan as Heimdall prepared to send them to the Chitauri realm. In his hands he cradled an extremely realistic looking artificial Tesseract, which had been crafted by the resident smith God, Wayland. Frigga herself had blessed it so it radiated some sort of Asgardian magic, hoping that would help it pass as the real thing.  The process took minimal time, as Wayland is highly gifted in his craft and Frigga possesses a seemingly limitless amount of magic which expends no energy on a physical or mental level. “I’m not even waiting for father to wake up before I step down. The throne would bind me here. And though I do become homesick from time to time, my priorities are elsewhere now.”  
  
“Your priority is in serious danger,” he replied ominously. “You must hurry. She’s becoming weaker and weaker with each passing-…Sigyn is with her. Any reason she would have to be in the girl’s presence can only mean malicious intent. Go, now.” Before anyone could question further they were whisked back to the Chitauri world, the portal which had transported them there staying open for convenience sake; however Heimdall had made it so it was only visible to them to prevent any attempts at infiltration. They did their best to hide even the slightest trace of nervousness or tension. To show such feelings would certainly arouse suspicion. Sigyn had met them once again as though eagerly awaiting their arrival. The desire and excitement in her eyes when she saw the Tesseract was so painfully obvious that, had the Other seen it, she would’ve given herself away as a traitor to both Asgard and the Chitauri.  
  
Continuing on with her sweet and amicable façade she led them to the leader of the Chitauri race, who offered a pleased smile when his eyes settled upon the glowing blue cube. So far no one had been able to detect it was a replica.  
  
“You kept your word. And judging by the attire I would venture to say you stole the throne to gain access to the cube. Desperate indeed. Then as far as we are concerned any debt Loki owes the Chitauri has been relieved.” He turned to Sigyn. “Go get her.” Still smiling she nodded in compliance and left to retrieve Danielle.  
  
“She better be unharmed,” Tony said glaring down the alien leader.  
  
“I assure you that your child is experiencing no pain right now.”  
  
 _Heimdall said she was in danger, and Sigyn was to blame._ Loki looked in the direction which his wife had disappeared anxiously. _…Then how is she incapable of experiencing pain right now? Why **right now** if she was in danger only moments ago?_ His silent question received a horrific answer as Sigyn returned carrying a pale, limp body in her arms. She approached the leader of the Avengers and held it out. Though the body was facing upwards her neck had been twisted one-hundred and eighty degrees. “I put her out of her misery for you. Now she’ll never feel any pain again.  I felt euthanasia to be a better alternative than allowing the disease to slowly corrode her fragile human body.  It was quick.  She felt no pain.  Aren't I a saint?”  She grinned deviously at Loki.  
  
“You said you wanted her back. You said nothing about getting her back alive. Now, the cube, if you don’t mind.”  
  
With shaking arms Steve reached out and Sigyn passed along Danielle’s lifeless body, the Goddess still smiling. Thor angrily shattered the fake Tesseract. Before the situation escalated the open portal immediately pulled them back to Asgard, leaving an enraged Sigyn and Chitauri leader behind.

* * *

  
 **Asgardian Palace**  
  
  
In a small room very close to that of the slumbering Odin a lifeless body lay sustained by magic to keep it from decomposing so it would be in as proper shape as possible upon the return to Earth. It was covered by Thor’s cape. The thunder God had renounced the throne as planned as soon as they returned, putting power back in his mother’s hands, but she was far too compromised to exercise it.  Though she did not know the child she, as mother Goddess, could feel the pain of her sons as she herself were experiencing it as well; this only accumulated with her distress from the Odinsleep and Sigyn's betrayal. The Chitauri and Sigyn would no doubt want some sort of revenge for being cheated out of the Tesseract, twice now for the former. But not a single one of them cared. The world around them could have crumbled to dust and they wouldn’t have noticed. The group had dispersed, all taking what precious little time they had to mourn in their own way. Steve and Tony, despite her state, were unable to leave Danielle. The super soldier was seated not far from the magical platform she was placed on, elbows on his knees and hands folded together. Tony was on the opposite side pacing. Both were at a loss for words. The last they had spoken they were entertaining the idea of separation, and now their deceased daughter’s body was laying on a platform in between them.  
  
“Tony?” Steve said quietly, breaking the long and awkward silence. He stopped pacing but didn’t look at him. Steve rested his chin on his folded hands. “I should’ve tried to intervene with your growing alcohol problem instead of scolding you for it. That only made it worse. I’m sorry.”  
  
The inventor hung his head. “You were right. I was so caught up in the paranoia from being around the guy who caused my PTSD to consider how the situation was affecting you, and Dani, and everyone else, and us. I was too caught up in myself and my self-perceived suffering…If anything I just created more problems for myself. I’m sorry too.”  
  
Steve’s sapphire gaze shifted to the red cape and the mangled mass underneath it. “They’ll pay. I don’t care if that alien disease was killing her. There was no guarantee she would die.”  
  
“I wish we’d had the chance to tell her that she didn’t do anything wrong…There’s no doubt in my mind she thought that we would be angry with her for helping Loki. She did do the commendable thing, like you said. Even if she wasn’t giving him the benefit of the doubt from the start she was trying to keep the situation under control. She, she really put her neck out there.” He turned towards Steve and folded his arms over his chest. “They’re gonna pay alright. That’s non-negotiable.”  
  
“I’m sure she knew…Even if that thought crossed her mind, she knew. I don’t know what she and Loki talked about but I’m glad she was able to have a conversation with someone she cared about, who also cared about her in return.”  
  
“Me too. I just wish we had managed to get there sooner. To make that teleportation device sooner. If we had…” Tony put his hand over his mouth and muttered through his fingers. “If I had figured it out sooner, how to put it together, then this wouldn’t have happened. I should’ve tried harder. But I was too busy moping and being pissed off that I didn’t put enough effort into it and…” His hand slid up his face and covered his eyes.  
  
“No one’s blaming you, Tony.”  
  
“I’m blaming me!” he barked, then shrank back. “God damn it, we can’t do this in front of Dani.”  
  
“I think we grew a little too comfortable with problems working themselves so when a tremendous one arose, like Loki being on Earth, we didn’t know how to settle the disputes ourselves and it got out of hand.” Tony wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and shook his head. “No. Every problem we ever had was work related. Never personal life. We’ve always been very good at keeping those two separate. You would give orders and I would disobey because I didn’t agree, we’d settle it on the field. I’d do something that compromised a plan you were formulating, we’d settle it on the field. This is the first time work life and personal life have overlapped, and I’m not surprised Dani was the catalyst. She is a danger magnet, courtesy of us. And she took it head on. She’s one brave kid. She probably anticipated…this.” He nodded towards the covered body. “Instead of trying to settle it like parents and spouses we tried to destroy it like superheroes. But it doesn’t work that way. Or it does and we have yet to figure out how to make it work.”  
  
“You’re right. I’m…I’m glad we can agree on something again. Well, if work and personal life have overlapped then this is an order I’m about to give you. We’re going to find a better way to resolve our disputes instead of running from the problem. And we’re not getting divorced.”  
  
He shot him a look as if his words were obvious. “That’s also non-negotiable. And not just for Dani’s sake.”  
  
A loud trembling came from outside. They looked in the direction from which it came and then exchanged glances. “You had better suit up. I think they’re here.” Tony nodded. “Grab your shield. We’re gonna light those bastards up like it’s Independence Day.”  
  
“Dani’s favorite holiday,” Steve muttered with a small grin, remembering all the times they had gone to see the fireworks.

“Yeah, because she loves the 'pretty explosions', not because it's your birthday or that she’s a hardcore patriot.”  
  
“Don’t ruin it for me.” He rose and walked up to the platform, putting a hand on Danielle’s covered cheek. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you,” he whispered, squeezing his eyes tightly and gulping. “But I’m not going to let your efforts and your sacrifice go to waste.” He glanced up when he felt Tony’s hand on top of his. “Neither of us are,” his husband added. “Time to assemble, Captain.” Steve nodded slowly. “I wish we had more time with her…” He stood up, fists balled at his sides. “But if I know Dani as well as I like to think I do, she’d rather we be out there blowing things up than in here crying.”  
  
“Sounds about right. And wherever she is now, she’s watching with envy I’m sure.” The door burst open and a frantic Clint stepped in, getting his arrows together. “Sorry to interrupt but we need to get out there. Bruce has already lost it and Thor joined him. Natasha is getting ready to join them. They sent an entire army, and Loki’s wife is out there too. Using his powers at that.”  
  
“Nothing we haven’t handled before. Where is Reindeer Games?”  
  
“Staying with the queen and keeping an eye on the cube. He said he’s going to watch over Dani too.” Clint glanced outside. “Shit! That’s more than New York. That’s the damn population of New York. We need to hurry. Right now.”


	21. Do We Have a Deal?

There was no time to formulate any sort of strategy. Through the combined efforts of Sigyn and the Other, the Chitauri army had ripped right into Asgard, bypassing Heimdall and was spilling over into their realm. Bruce stayed near the exit of the palace knowing it was only a matter of time before he was going to lose control. Natasha gave herself five minutes to cry in the privacy of Thor’s room before reloading her weapons and preparing for the assault. Clint was keeping a watchful eye on the perimeter, trying to keep his mind off of the deceased girl’s body not far from his location. Thor had found Sif and the Warriors Three and, despite the ‘Loki factor’ had easily convinced them to join him and his Midgardian comrades when the time came. He charged her with the task of rounding up as many soldiers in Asgard’s army as she possibly could. Steve and Tony were out in front of the palace in what seemed like a matter of seconds after Clint’s warning. Their leader need not issue any orders, for their task was obvious enough- kill every Chitauri in sight, kill Sigyn and the Other, and let no one into the palace. Frigga was not entirely helpless but she had to watch over Odin and the Tesseract, which Loki had outright refused to help her with. He felt his place was elsewhere in the castle.  
  
He wasn’t sure if his motivation truly was to watch over her or to torture himself with the accumulating guilt. It didn’t help that Thor had tried to console Loki before the Chitauri insurgency.  
  
 _“This is my fault. I should have tried harder to push her away. Even if I didn’t want to…It would have been for the best. For her sake.”_  
  
 _“We have already discussed this. Danielle is selfless, perhaps too much for her own good, but always understood the risks and was ready to accept them. She knew what she was doing.”_  
  
 _“She wasn’t ready to die!” he spat. “Not like this. I still don’t understand why she would be so willing to throw her life away for someone who engineered what could have resulted in the death of her entire family.”_  
  
 _“Because she can relate to you.”_  
  
 _“Spare me that lecture. It was bad enough hearing it from her the first time.”_  
  
 _“All she has ever had is her family. To find someone outside of us, someone to whom she can relate, it must have provided comfort and emotional intimacy in ways she couldn’t find elsewhere. Whatever she is to you, you were to her.”_  
  
“All she is to me now is but another failure. Another ‘What did I do wrong?’” He glanced over at the platform. “I want to be angry with you. Even if it wasn’t your intention you gave me something I couldn’t find elsewhere, and then you took it from me. I don’t know what it is. I can’t put it into words. But I suppose that doesn’t matter now because it died with you. I can take some consolation in the fact that it was relatively painless. Sigyn’s claims of acting out of mercy on the other hand…imply that there was a great deal of suffering for her to alleviate.” He shook his head. “If the most deserving are the ones who love those who destroy them, then I think we’ve answered the question of which one of us is being destroyed. Then again if you were here you would argue that you’re destroying me vicariously through the guilt and- I’m speaking to a corpse putting words in the aforementioned corpse’s mouth. I’m going to drive myself insane if I stay in here.” He looked over at the door. “But I am of no use out there, and I have no desire to be in the company of the one responsible for my marriage to Sigyn, nor the one who didn’t bother trying to stop him.” He sat down across from the platform and stared at it intensely.  
  
“There has to be something I can do other than reflect on this guilt I’m supposed to rid myself of. You ask a great deal from me. But if that is your desire then I will honor my word. It’s probably a habit I should get back into. If neither of us are to be blamed then I know who is. She claims to have lost everything, but she has yet to experience…the pain of losing something which truly mattered. She claims to have lost everything but none of it was even hers to begin with.” Loki could slowly feel the anger he was subjecting himself to shift in Sigyn’s direction and escalate rapidly. “She hasn’t experienced loss. She cannot hold on to what isn’t rightfully hers. All the superfluous gains to satisfy her greed…Sigyn only cares for herself. But you…You cannot begin to fathom the depths on my regret for accusing you of not acting out of altruism. Why wouldn’t you? You had nothing to gain from it. You did what you thought was just despite the consequences, not because you thought it gave you purpose. That was merely a perk. This was never your burden to bear but regardless you carried the weight with a smile and iron will. Or perhaps stubbornness, it’s hard to tell with you.” He crossed one leg over the other. “If I had to determine my greatest regret it would be my accusation…and not telling you any of this sooner. When I had the chance. I will see to it that your efforts were not in vain and your legacy is immortalized. It is the least I can do for you. Perhaps the prophecies of Ragnarok were all metaphors and this, this assault on Asgard is quite possibly the end. If that is so then the preordained vanquishing of the sun, moon, and stars is undoubtedly your death.”  
  
He rose and approached the platform, a tiny part of him clinging to the hope that she would suddenly jump up and shout ‘Surprise! I faked death to escape! Time to go blow shit up!’. “Regardless of whether or not it is all a metaphor, I have nothing to lose anymore. What happens to me no longer matters. I may not be able to fight in your name but I know who can. Freeing him could easily result in my execution, which I’m sure would warrant a tongue-lashing that would last for all of eternity and a day. But that sacrifice is miniscule compared to everything you gave up, every risk you took…” He leaned down and placed a hand on her covered cheek, planting a delicate kiss on her covered forehead. “Fenrir will avenge you in my stead. And he will show no mercy.”

* * *

  
**?????**

  
Danielle shivered as she walked passed an enormous stone cave, four pairs of red eyes staring at her from inside. She could hear the panting of a canine from inside and tried not to make eye contact as she continued along the wide, eroded pathway to the gates of what she assumed to be the afterlife she was sent to. _Those eyes…Is that Garm? That’s his name, right? Like the Norse Cerberus? Ignore it, just ignore it…It’s doing a great job just letting me be. Don’t wanna change that any time soon…_  
  
The gates were made of rusted metal and seemed to rival the size of what was once Stark Tower, now the Avengers Tower and mansion. She looked up and could see no end to the looming, dilapidated spires which penetrated through the miserable gray sky overhead. “This…This is definitely Niflheim,” she murmured to herself as a chilly fog whirled around her ankles. “And since I’m dead I take it that, more specifically, this is Helheim.” As soon as the words escaped her lips the enormous gates separated, making obnoxious scraping noises against the stony, hard ground beneath her feet. She gingerly walked through, looking to her left and right. Pitiful looking souls with sunken eyes and choppy, slow movements wandered aimlessly, not seeming to notice the presence of the new arrival. The gates slammed shut behind her, making her squeal in shock. One of the deceased seemed to hear her and approached her. He mumbled something in Old Norse. She used what little knowledge she had of the language to try and decipher what he was saying but his speech was slurred and his tone too low. He recognized the confusion on her face and motioned for her to follow him. She did so reluctantly, clutching her pendant tightly.  
  
He led her up a long, wide staircase made of skulls with femurs, radii, ulnas, tibias, and fibulas constructing the railing. The thick fog obstructed her vision, preventing her from seeing where the stairs led, but the specter seemed to know his way. When they finally reached the top the mist cleared and her eyes widened. She turned to the specter who acted as her guide. “Þhakka fyrir,” she said quietly with a respectful nod, stumbling over the words. She rarely spoke Old Norse, occasionally throwing around a phrase or two with Thor. He understood her regardless and she heard him mutter, “Ekki at thakka.” He turned around and stumbled down the macabre staircase, disappearing into the fog.  
  
The adolescent approached a beautifully crafted throne of gold and gulped nervously. Before her sat a young woman who looked barely older than herself. From above the waist she was indescribably gorgeous, with long, silken black hair and deep green eyes. Below the waist however she resembled a rotting corpse, her legs housing maggots.  
  
 _I definitely see the resemblance between Hel and Loki…Holy shit_. Danielle opened her mouth to speak but the Goddess interrupted her. “You know my native tongue?” she asked surprised. “Interesting.”  
  
 _Might as well_. “Your uncle taught me,” she replied. “Thor, that is.”  
  
“You know him? Personally? Come closer.” Danielle approached the half-dead girl who examined her closely. She waved a hand over her lap and an enormous weathered tome appeared. She leafed through it casually, eventually settling on a page. “Danielle Olivia Rogers-Stark.” She pointed to the picture in the book and then glanced at the blonde before her. “What are you doing here? You aren’t supposed to be dead…Not yet.”  
  
 _Oh you cunt!_ “You can thank your stepmother for that one,” she replied with an eyeroll. Hel twitched. “Sss-tep-mother?” she asked in a shaky voice, slightly startling Danielle. “This is Sigyn’s doing?” The blonde nodded. Hel made the book disappear the same way she summoned it and leaned closer. “Tell me how it is you came to encounter that vile woman.”  
  
“Your father had to finish his prison sentence on Earth. I met him. Sigyn had been waiting for him to get revenge. I accidentally got myself in deep shit by trying to help him and ended up being kidnapped. Sigyn is working with the kidnappers, but she’s plotting against them, Asgard, and Loki.”  
  
“What reason have you to assist my father?” she asked raising an eyebrow, quite intrigued. “He isn’t quite fond of your kind.”  
  
“Apparently I’m an exception,” she shrugged. “Which made Sigyn jealous. She thinks I’m his lover or something. And I don't know if there is anything between me and him or not to be totally honest with you, but that's a story for a rainy day. I had contracted a Chitauri illness which was killing me long before that bitch snapped my neck. I’m guessing that’s why I came here?”  
  
“You would be correct in guessing that. Unfortunately I am bound by oath not to release any who enter my domain, regardless of the circumstances of death…including premature.” She grinned, showing an even stronger resemblance between herself and her father. “But I do hate my stepmother. Not as much as my brothers, all five of them including those whom she birthed, but my disdain for her is quite strong nonetheless. And if my father finds you to be an exception then there must be something very special about you.”  
  
“I dunno. Then again I was created in a tank from the genetic material of two men, born after six months instead of nine, and possess both their powers and abilities. But that’s my life, ya know? It’s what I’m familiar with, it’s all I know. So it doesn’t sound all that exceptional to me. But others like to make a big deal out of me and the shit I can do.”  
  
She leaned back in her throne, rubbing her chin in thought.  “You have a very carefree and casual attitude despite the fact that you're currently conversing with the one who will ultimately determine your fate.  You strike me as the type that cares little for authority.”  
  
“When it inconveniences me, I can’t say I do.”  
  
“No wonder my father is fond of you. What do you say about making a deal with death?”  
  
“Eh, why not. My life was pretty damn weird. Might as well kick-off the afterlife in typical Dani fashion. What did you have in mind?”

"An exchange.  My father wants you alive and he, myself, and surely even you want Sigyn dead.  If she can replace you, what's the harm in bending the rules a little bit?"  Hel resummoned her book and flipped through the pages again.  With a malicious giggle she added, "And what a coincedence.  She's due for a little family reunion today.  Give me that woman.  I don't care how you do it, so long as you see it through."

"I can do that.  I'll even throw in something a little extra for ya, if you'd like."

"Oh?"

"I'll make her regret trying to use me to get to my family and Loki.  I'll make her regret everything she's done to Loki.  I'll make her regret her own existence.  I'll make her scream."

"You're adorable," the young Goddess laughed.  "I think I know what it is daddy dearest sees in you."

"What would that be?" she asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh plenty of things, but if I had to name...three, three primary things he sees in you they would be passion, confidence, and loyalty."

"Why are those the three that would stand out most to him?"

"Because those are three things no one has shown him before.  I haven't seen my father since I became the ruler of this desolate tundra hundreds of years ago.  But the saying 'dead men tell no tales' couldn't be any further from the truth.  You just need to know who to talk to and they'll tell you plenty.  The dead have the best stories, they're the biggest gossips.  At first glance most would think me miserable, being in a place like this."  She waved around a hand, motioning to the space around them.  "But when your company consists entirely of the 'unworthy dead' -no offense- your life can be rather entertaining.  You're very dedicated to him, aren't you Danielle?"  She nodded firmly.  "I knew helping him might lead to my death but...it felt as though doing anything but was impossible.  It would've made so much more sense for me to hate him, to let my family know about it, but the fact that it made sense...didn't make sense to me."

"You care about his well-being."

"I do."

"You're falling for him.  Don't even bother throwing a maybe at me, I can see it in your eyes.  Bringing me my stepmother's soul isn't the only unfinished business you have in Asgard.  Despite your dedication to him you accepted your death, you feel no guilt for not being with him now to act as a buffer between him and Gods only know what that insane woman is doing, you care so very much for him...And you didn't bother begging me to revive you so you could be with him.  Why is that?"

"I thought that this was the end.  No fighting that.  Things are as they are.  Everything happens for a reason, after all."

"Did he tell you that?"

"No.  Other way around."

* * *

  
**Outside the Asgardian Palace**  
  
  
The battle was highly reminiscent of New York except there were no civilians to protect and no infrastructure limiting their mobility. They continued pouring in through the rip, which seemed to be growing, and were forced to stay as close to all entrances to the palace as possible, making it difficult for them to whittle away their numbers more efficiently.  
  
Clint had taken higher ground while Natasha was moving around the perimeter. Thor and Captain America were blocking the primary entrance while Sif had led the Warriors Three and the Asgardian army out into the field. Iron Man was attacking from above and the Hulk was grabbing and destroying the nearest Chitauri in sight. Despite their talents and efforts they were vastly outnumbered. Natasha had already sustained an injury and Sif’s armor had cracked in various places.  
  
 _We’re ridiculously outnumbered…This seems hopeless_ , Clint thought in frustration as he fired in rapid succession at seven Chitauri flying overheard. Down on the ground Natasha was trying to stay out of sight to make a quick makeshift tourniquet before jumping back into the fray. The Asgardian army was getting exhausted, their stamina combined nowhere near that of their fearless leader, who herself was getting exhausted. The Warriors Three were having trouble keeping up with her. The Hulk, having no efficient armor of his own, was starting to take damage from their ray guns. Thor had to balance between fighting off the aliens trying to enter the palace and hitting Iron Man to keep his power levels as high as possible at all times. Captain America couldn’t create a happy medium between offensive and defensive. All the while they kept their eyes peeled for Sigyn and the Other.  
  
The sound of something enormous charging in their direction began to echo throughout the field. Hordes of Chitauri went flying as a gigantic, feral looking wolf began plowing through them, smashing them with his paws and ripping them apart with his monstrous jaws. Initially Thor was frightened by the sight of his nephew in combat, as it was Fenrir who was destined to kill Odin at Ragnarok, but he also knew that Fenrir only obeyed Loki. And if Fenrir had been freed and was only attacking the Chitauri army that meant Loki had set him loose and instructed him to fight the Chitauri and the Chitauri alone. Such an tactic was by far the greatest act of treason Loki could commit, but it was the only option he had left without his power.  
  
“What is that thing?!” Captain America shouted to Thor over the wolf’s roars and the explosions from the onslaught before them. “Loki’s oldest child,” he replied as he completely shattered one of the aliens with his hammer. “He must have freed him to help us!”  
  
“It looks dangerous!” The Avengers leader fended off a blast from a ray gun and sliced the weapon’s owner in half through the middle with his shield.  
  
“He is! But he obeys Loki, and Loki would not instruct him to attack anyone other than those who brought harm to Danielle! Not right now, that is!”  
  
“I guess that’s reassuring!”  
  
“Hey you two!” Iron Man scolded, “Less chit-chat, more chitty chitty bang bang!” _That…is a fucking huge dog…_  
  
With the gargantuan wolf dominating most the battlefield the more injured soldiers were granted reprieve and those who still possessed the strength and mobility tried to make it into the castle where Frigga’s handmaidens were ready and waiting to tend to every wound. But the battlefield was littered with more Asgardian bodies than it was Chitauri, despite Fenrir’s brutal assistance. The number of Chitauri coming in through the rift was beginning to taper but they were still vastly outnumbered by roughly forty to one.  
  
Thor felt a powerful magical reverberation behind himself and quickly glanced over at the castle. Something potent had stirred but he wasn’t sure if it was benign or something more sinister like his sister-in-law. Clint saw a blur burst out from between the pillars of one of the many enormous grand hallways circling the interior the castle, but it moved too quickly for him detect any distinguishable features. There were only two living beings he had encountered who were able to evade his careful gaze. “Hey Nat,” he said into his earpiece, “I just saw something jump out of the castle. Be careful down there.”  
  
“It just ran right by me. I think I’m going delusional from the fatigue because what I just saw can’t be real.”  
  
“Would you two care to share with the rest of the class?” Iron Man asked as he noticed a blast from one the Chitauri guns plow through a horde of them which was dangerously close to Sif. “Oh great, another traitor! Is this really the best Loki could do back in the day? No wonder he’s turning his act around. He sucks at being a villain.”  
  
“Find out what that was!” Captain America ordered.  
  
“You got it, Capsicle.”  
  
“Damn it Tony, stop calling me that!”  
  
“You know you like it.”  
  
“…just find the source of the firing!”  
  
“Sir, yes, sir,” he replied suggestively, trying to follow the trail of carnage the blasts were leaving behind. Natasha faked a gag. “You two can fuck and make up later! Right now-! Do you guys hear that?” It began as static but throughout each earpiece a very distinct voice was happily singing a somewhat morbid parody of ‘Pumped Up Kicks’.  
  
“Dani’s got a quick hand. She'll make things go boom, and you don’t stand a chance. She's one pissed off chick, she’s a dangerous bitch. Yeah, she stole an alien ray gun, pried it from his arms while dislodging them. And they don't even know it but I’m coming for them, yeah, I’m coming for them. All you Chitauri pricks, you’re a bunch of dicks so you better run, better run, outrun my gun! All you Chitauri pricks, you’re a bunch of dicks so you better run, ‘cause my finger’s on the trigger and I’m gonna pull it!” Another massive beam was fired and when the smoke cleared Danielle was standing there holding one of the Chitauri weapons, firing like mad at each and every one. The ferocity in her eyes rivaled that of Fenrir’s as she continued her merciless assault. When it ran out of energy she used it beat and bludgeon them.  
  
They knew she had died. Some had seen Sigyn twist her neck. She was terrifying enough in appearance alone but combined with the fact that she had come back to life somehow (at least that seemed to be the situation) had inspired some of them to begin a retreat.  
  
“What’s the matter?!” she shouted with a sadistic grin as she tossed aside the useless weapon and began resorting to the physical skills her father helped her hone. “You guys wanted me, remember?! You’re the ones who took me, **remember**?! Well here I am! Come and get me! I FUCKING dare you!” Like magnets of the same polarity her presence was pushing them back and they began to drop their guard turning them into much easier targets, especially for Fenrir.  
  
She turned and looked over her shoulder, grinning at her family. “I’d love to stay and explain, believe me, but there’s somewhere I need to be. Let me know if you see Sigyn get in!” she yelled as she rushed back inside the palace. Everyone stood dumbfounded for a moment.  
  
“…well, she didn’t look like a zombie,” Iron Man remarked, blowing up three Chitauri beneath him without even sparing a glance. “Dani…defied death. I’m serious guys, next she’ll divide by zero and undo the fabric of the entire universe.”

* * *

  
**In the Palace, a Few Minutes Earlier**  
  
  
Loki couldn’t stand another second in the presence of Danielle’s dead body but he still greatly disliked the idea of being alone in a room with his parents, especially after releasing the wolf. As suspicious as it may have appeared he took to guarding the Tesseract instead.  
  
He recognized the radiating magical aura as his daughter’s doing, though he had no idea why he felt it inside the castle. His immediate thought was that Sigyn’s spell had been so strong Odin died during the deep sleep he was in, but had that been the case there would’ve been a much greater commotion. Rather there seemed only to be confusion. The source was dangerously close to where Odin was slumbering but the epicenter of the release of magic was from the room adjacent, where Danielle’s body was being kept. No longer could he feel the preservative magic Frigga has cast over her to sustain her form until proper funeral arrangements were made. As he opened the door he saw Danielle sit up on the platform and stretch her arms, letting out a loud yawn.  
  
“Wow…I feel oddly rejuvenated,” she muttered to herself, pushing Thor’s cape aside. “And my body appears to no longer be in shambles…They must’ve done something to fix me while I was taking my five for fighting…” The sound of the door closing made her jump, a hand over her mouth as she squeaked in surprise. “Don’t scare me like that!” she exclaimed. “Even my neck feels fine! Why are you staring at me like that? I’m getting self-conscious. Oh right, I died!” She laughed at her absentmindedness as she hopped off the platform and slowly walked up to the depowered God, too stunned to move. “I wanted to wait until everyone had reconvened to explain but, well, you literally just saw a body reanimate and I don’t know why but for some reason I feel as though I should tell you first.” She clasped her hands behind her back. “It’s pretty simple really. Hel said that I died prematurely and she’s not supposed to allow souls to return but she would make an exception for me because of, well, you. All I have to do is replace my spot with Sigyn. And deliver a message to you. She’s still pissed off at you still for making her deal with other premature deaths…Something like eighty in two days. Oh hey, that was New York wasn’t it? No wonder she was so annoyed. I just need to kill Sigyn, or ensure that she dies.”  
  
Struggling to string words together he said, “Hel, she knows, she’s bound by an oath sworn in blood, she can’t send anyone back to the worlds of the living, she, I mean-”  
  
“Are you complaining?” She put her hands on her hips. “Of course not! I’m just…relieved. And shocked. It’s supposed to be impossible to leave Helheim.”  
  
“I already told you,” she giggled, “nothing can come between me and my ability to irritate the ever living shit out of you. Not even death. I almost feel immortal!”  
  
“You are far from immo-”  
  
“Don’t ruin it for me!” she interrupted, stomping her foot. “I can hear them out there…Chitauri infiltration?” He nodded. “I figured as much. I should go out there and help out a bit, and keep an eye out for Sigyn.”  
  
“She’s going to come here. We both know what she wants.”  
  
“Yeah. You,” she grinned as she watched backwards towards the exit. “I’ll be back to guard the Tesseract. I just need to go blow things up; the urge is killing me! I probably shouldn’t use that expression for awhile.” She backed up against the door. “But I need to say something before I go. I’m sorry.” He slowly approached her, a curious expression on his face, and as soon as he was within arm’s length she pulled into a tight embrace, which he gladly returned. She pressed her forehead against his collarbone. “I’m sorry,” she repeated quietly.  
  
“What in Odin’s name could you possibly have to apologize for?” he asked confused.  
  
“I said that I would be okay. And I said it to placate you. I knew you guys would manage to figure something out but, well, I was dying, and I just didn’t…I just didn’t want everyone to be in a panic.”  
  
“We were going to regardless.”  
  
“Still…”  
  
“Danielle, has it not occurred to you that what you did no longer matters as you are…alive?” The concept was hard enough to grasp; saying it aloud sounded like wishful thinking.  
  
“I…I guess…Heh, and you said you should’ve never let me get close to you. Had you not, I’d still be rotting. You saved my life, in a sense. And don’t you dare say what I know you wanna say,” she added quickly. “No more of that ‘it’s my fault you were kidnapped in the first place’ shit.”  
  
“Actually I was going to comment on how Hel doesn’t know how to let go of a grudge.”  
  
“Well gee! I wonder where she picked that up from!” the blonde teased. She jumped in fright again when she heard a loud roar. “What the fuck was that?” she gasped.  
  
“I let Fenrir off of his 'leash'.”  
  
“Really?!” she asked excitedly, much to his surprise. “I love puppies.”  
  
“He isn’t a pup anymore.”  
  
“But all doggies are puppies because they’re fluffy and cute and they’re fun to cuddle with.” She squealed excitedly. “Yay! I want a puppy but Uncle Clint is allergic to their fur.”  
  
“That’s going to severely damage any shred of a defense I may have had. I’m sure you know what he’s supposed to do at Ragnarok.”  
  
“Yeah, kill Odin. Who is currently in the Odinsleep. Oh shit. Then why did you do it if you knew you were self-incriminating?”  
  
“As far as I was concerned I had nothing left to lose."  His words made her blush slightly. "I…could be put to death for setting him free.” Her eyes widened in fear and she looked up at him, quickly shaking her head. “No. No, no, no. Not happening. I just came back to life and now you’re telling me that you…you might…” She felt her throat tighten and she shook her head again. “You’re not gonna be executed.” She rested her cheek against his chest. “I won’t let them.”  
  
“That’s vastly beyond your jurisdiction,” he replied quietly. She scoffed. “Sure, with that attitude. What were the stipulations? Prove an appreciation for Midgard and humans, right? And everything we’ve been through isn’t enough?”  
  
“You mean everything you’ve been through for me? I did nothing.”  
  
“You didn’t need to do anything.” She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, listening to the sounds of battle in the distance. “Every second of it was worth the risk. And if a human, fully aware of everything you did and why you were sentenced to Midgard –who also happened to be the kid of two of the Avengers-, was willing to go out of her way for you without any incentive other than the outcome…What more could he need? I didn’t need to be convinced of anything to do what I did, and I sure as shit wasn’t manipulated into doing it either.”  
  
“Danielle, I need you to promise me that you will not become involved in the trial,” he said seriously. She shook her head and looked up, locking eyes with him. “I can’t make that promise.” He was silent for a moment. “…good. I don’t know if I can face that without you running in and making a mess of things.”  
  
“You know you can always count on me to make a mess of things! Besides, like I said before, nothing can come between me and my ability to annoy the ever living shit out of you. Not a prison cell, not death, and certainly not Odin.” He rested his chin on her shoulder. “You have a strange way of reassuring people,” he murmured.  "Successful, but still strange.  But I would expect no less from you." Her breath was caught in her throat. _Warm feeling in my face, warm feeling in my face, hot feeling in my face, damn it all…Feelings. I hate feelings. Aren’t jotunn supposed to be really cold? ‘Cause he’s…really not…Oh shit, I need to get moving before we start making out or something.  Why would we start making out?  Why are these things popping in my head?!  Sigh.  He's one of those guys my parents warned me about.  In more ways that one, now that I think about it.  But seriously, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!  Are we...?  One way to find out._  
  
“Hey Loki?  No, never mind.  Conversation for another time, something which we really don't have a lot of to spare right now.  Keep an eye out for Sigyn and I’ll be back after fucking some Chitauri shit up. Just gimme, say, five minutes max? I’ll be back. That’s a promise I can keep.” She removed his arms from around her and took his hands in hers, lacing their fingers together and holding them tightly in between the two of them. “Sound like a plan?”  
  
“I suppose,” he said somewhat critically.  
  
“Suppose? What am I forgetting? Oh, right!” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Be back in a few! Try not to miss me too much!” she called over her shoulder as she left, smirking in satisfaction as he stood there both stupefied and irked.  
  
“Damn it…” He put a hand to his cheek where she had kissed him. “She beat me to it.”


	22. Would You Like Some Bite With that Bark?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I have no idea whether parents can be of help, and I do not blame mine. It was my own affair to come to terms with myself and to find my own way, and like most well-brought-up children, I managed it badly.
> 
> Everyone goes through this crisis. For the average person this is the point when the demands of his own life come into the sharpest conflict with his environment, when the way forward has to be sought with the bitterest means at his command. Many people experience the dying and rebirth - which is our fate - only this once during their entire life. Their childhood becomes hollow and gradually collapses, everything they love abandons them and they suddenly feel surrounded by the loneliness and mortal cold of the universe. Very many are caught forever in this impasse, and for the rest of their lives cling painfully to an irrevocable past, the dream of the lost paradise - which is the worst and most ruthless of dreams.” 
> 
> -Herman Hesse, "Demian"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sappy feels alert!

As Danielle ascended the massive staircase and swung the large doors open she felt a chill run down her spine. Sigyn was close, if not already inside the palace. _Bitch must’ve bypassed everyone during the commotion I made with the whole ‘I’m not dead’ thing,_ she thought to herself as she bolted up numerous flights of stairs and around winding halls, making her way to the room housing the Tesseract. Not my best idea. The closer she was the greater the presence felt. All three of the most important Asgardians in the castle were ultimately defenseless, though Loki did have one thing he could still use to his advantage. Danielle wondered if he had realized that as she reached the floor. She leaned against the wall atop the staircase to catch her breath and then put on her best game face. This would be the final showdown, and she would take no prisoners. She took a deep breath, mentally bracing herself for whatever plan Sigyn had waiting for her, and made her way down the main hall. It split into three separate, smaller hallways with one to her right leading to the room housing the Tesseract, the hall straight before her leading to the room where Odin slept, and hall to the left leading to the room where her body had been kept while she was dead. There was a flare up of some sort of magical energy from the right, as if trying to catch her attention and lure her forward.  
  
“Consider your wish granted,” she muttered under her breath and turned down the right corner. The hallway made another turn which turned into a huge, open hall, the room housing the Tesseract at the very end. She rolled her eyes when she felt the magical surge again. _You’ve already got my attention. Stop showing off._  
  
“Finally, there you are-” Her eyed widened in shock when they settled upon the sight of Sigyn and her husband embracing. Loki looked up and smirked at the human. “I truly can’t thank you enough for returning her to me, Danielle. Now she’s right I need her…Right where she belongs”. Sigyn turned around in his arms and giggled, facing her. “See? I knew he would come back to me in the end. Now, if you don’t mind, my future king and I have a Tesseract to take.” Her smile quickly faded to a look of horror as her eyes moved downwards to the floor. Her feet were frozen in place, the ice encasing them quickly rising up her ankles and to her shins.  
  
“That was too easy.” His grip around her ribcage tightened and she gagged. “You may hold my magic,” he murmured in her ear as his skin took on a light blue tone, “but there is one thing you can never take from me. My blood. And everything you subjected Danielle to I will condense into the next five minutes. You should thank me for being so merciful.” The blonde youth tried not to laugh. _I was hoping we’d be able to pull off something like this on her. Glorious._  
  
“But…why?” she gasped. “I thought…I thought we…”  
  
“You thought wrong. There is no ‘we’, no ‘us’.” Danielle put her hands up in a T-shape. “Hold on. I was the one who, ya know, DIED. Can I at least have a little fun?” She extended her right arm and her purple pendant began to unfold outwards, wrapping around her limb. The silver chain slid off her neck and connected with mechanical arm, snaking over it and filling in every detail.  
  
“Inside the palace?” he asked raising an eyebrow. _So that’s where she’s been hiding the suit. Never would have guessed._  
  
“…just a headshot?” she begged.  
  
“What is **wrong** with you Loki?!” Sigyn snarled through labored breaths, struggling in vain to break free from the ice. “I did so much for you, and yet, and yet you pick her over me?!”  
  
“There was no conscious decision to be made.”  
  
“Woman, just shut up and hold still so I can melt your face and use your brain as a hacky sack .” As she began to charge the ray Sigyn vanished, the ice cage around her shattering. She immediately powered down and dropped her arm. “That bitch figured out how to create tangible replicas of herself,” she gasped aloud. “We need to find the real one.” Without hesitation she blasted down the door to the room housing the Tesseract.  
  
“Was that really necessary?” he chided as he followed her inside, his skin tone returning to normal. She snickered. “Explosions are always necessary. By the way, blue looks good on you.” She stepped over the debris, waving a hand in her face as the dust settled. When her vision was no longer obscured her deep blue eyes were greeted by the image of Sigyn standing behind the pedestal holding the Tesseract. The cube itself was already in her hands.  
  
She laughed in triumph. “I did it,” she said in disbelief and then extended her arms. “Look at what I hold in my hands! There’s nothing you can do now. Nothing but bow before your new queen.” Danielle’s mechanical arm slithered up her body and changed back into the necklace. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”  
  
“Even now when I stand before you holding the Tesseract you still think you can win? You still think you can outwit me, overpower me?”  
  
“I cheated death, dumbass. You’re really nothing special.” Sigyn grit her teeth and clutched the cube possessively. “You have absolutely no idea what I’m capable of now. Asgard, Vanaheim, Jotunnheim, Midgard, Niflheim, they’re all mine!”  
  
“Talk about overambitious,” she murmured to Loki. “Even you didn’t get that carried away. Alright Sigyn,” she challenged. “Go right ahead. Prove your might to me. I…triple dog dare you.” She fought back a grin. _I love bad puns._  
  
“What are you doing?!” Loki hissed. “Just trust me,” she muttered. Sigyn cocked her head to the side, an eyebrow raised as she slowly strode out from behind the pedestal, casually cradling the cube beneath one arm. “You want me to prove my might to you? Holding the cube isn’t enough?”  
  
“Plenty of people before you have possessed it and…fucked up hardcore. Hence it being back here where it belongs. What makes you think you can wield it?”  
  
“I have the resolve, the drive, the determination, the-”  
  
“Access to a thesaurus ,” she chuckled, taking a step back, careful not to trip over the debris she created. “You don’t even hold it like a prized possession. More like an accessory. Granted, it does bring out the color of your eyes. Really though, from the start you’ve just been all bark and no bite.” _Better pun_.  
  
“I don’t know how you were able to come back and quite frankly I don’t care, you little cockroach. I would **gladly** kill you again, _especially_ in Loki’s presence! I would love to see the look on his face as I obliterate the little human girl he’s become far too attached to!” She advanced on Danielle, who continued stepping backwards slowly, making her way to the middle of the large hall.  
  
“To be honest I wouldn’t mind taking a field trip back to Helheim. The locals are far more interesting and colorful than you, Ms. Every Villainess Cliché Rolled Into One.” She stopped, glancing to her right to see what was going on outside. The Chitauri were being pushed back further and the rift they had come through appeared to be stitching itself together.  
  
“Do you want to know what sets me apart from every owner of the Tesseract prior to me?” the power-hungry Goddess asked, gripping it between both hands and grinning deviously, still following the girl. “I learned from their examples and their mistakes. The cube records its own history and I’ve seen everything it has seen. It has shown me. It almost has a mind of its own.” She ran her fingers along the cerulean edges, mesmerized by its incandescence. Danielle scoffed. “If it’s sentient, it would probably telepathically tell you to fuck off. From what I understand it reacts differently depending on who’s using it. But if your power is ‘borrowed’…can you really use it?” She glanced outside again, slowly stepping aside towards the balcony.  
  
“Planning an escape? How cute. That’s probably what frustrates me the most about you. You’re all talk, and when the time to act comes you try and talk your way out of it. What have you accomplished? Everything you’ve ‘done’ is either dumb luck from being in the right place at the right time, or things falling into place for you. So what if the power in my body didn’t originate from it? It’s mine now! I hold it! I hold the entire universe simply by holding this cube!”  
  
“Oh yeah? Go right ahead and channel your almighty borrowed power through it.” She bit her lip in anticipation, continuing to back up until she felt the cool, smooth ceramic balcony behind her. “Control Fenrir. Make him attack me. He does only obey Loki, after all. With the cube and holding his power, you should be able to do it.” She pointed out to the battle behind herself with her thumb. “We’re only three floors up. He could easily jump up here and tear me apart.”  
  
“You wish to be mauled by that vile creature?”  
  
“Vile creature? Are you kidding me? He’s so big and cute and fluffy! I just wanna cuddle him forever and ever!” she squealed. _Damn it, focus!_ She saw the look Loki was giving her from the sidelines. He had caught on to her game, and her terrible pun. “Go ahead.” She took off her pendant and tossed it to him. “I have no armor now. And no intention of moving either.” She leaned her elbows against the railing and yawned. “Well, go on.”  
  
She snarled. “If that’s really what you want…” She looked past Danielle to the fight and put her forefinger and thumb to her lips, whistling loudly. “Fenrir!” she shouted. “I command you to come and destroy this girl who stands before me! Annihilate this arrogant, pretentious, self-entitled child! She who tries to steal the one who belongs to me! That manipulative, obnoxious, selfish little bitch! I command you to rip her apart!”  
  
“Give it about five seconds and I’ll bow before you.” She smirked and Sigyn leered at her. The sound of thunderous charging of four mighty paws came towards the castle. Danielle looked over her shoulder and began a countdown under her breath, watching the creature approach. It locked eyes with her and she grinned. _That’s not even remotely threatening…I can't handle how cute and big and fluffy he is!_ She heard a loud gasp and looked before her. A blue light was emanating from the cube and starting to envelop the Goddess, who began to tremble. “No. That can’t be…I hold the cube! I control it!”  
  
“In Soviet Russian, and apparently Asgard too, cube controls you.  What’s that I was saying about borrowed power? Oh yeah, IT DOESN’T WORK. You just spoke for Loki. And this is the part where I bow down to you, ‘Oh captain, my captain’.” Danielle dropped down on one knee, positioning her hands before her so she could make a dash when the time was right. Sigyn looked over her shoulder at Loki. “But I…I did so much for you…” she said in desperation.  
  
“And I’m going to tell you exactly what I told Danielle,” he replied coldly. “Look at where that got you.” She was about to retort but was slammed to the ground as Fenrir lept through the opening over the crouched Danielle, pinning her to the ground. She immediately lost hold of the Tesseract and the adolescent sprinted forward, landing on her back with an ‘oomph!’ as she grabbed it and it hit her stomach. Fenrir closed his jaw’s around Sigyn’s the neck, dragging her kicking and flailing bloody body along the pristine tile floor and jumped back down to the battlefield where he proceeded to shred her apart with his fangs until she was reduced to unrecognizable lumps of meat and fabric.  
  
“Oh crap, this is heavy,” she groaned as she sat up, holding the glowing blue cube. It felt warm to the touch. “That was awesome. Shame I missed watching him maim her.” She looked at the ground beside her and saw the massive trail of blood left behind. She snickered. “OK, that’s pretty funny. Unfortunate she didn’t suffer a whole lot.” She slowly rose, holding the relic protectively. “Well, not when she was alive anyway. Hel said she had a special place set aside for her. I can’t believe she fell for that! Did she really think she inherited the ability to control him?” She turned to Loki. “Did it not occur to her that if it wasn’t a power of yours you wouldn’tve been able to set him free and get him to attack the Chitauri only in the first place? Hel wasn’t kidding when she mentioned how much he hates her…Trying to boss him around really pissed him off. He was only following orders, but acting as though you had issued them. He’s such a smart puppy and I just wanna huggle and cuddle with him and his big floppy ears and his big wet nose and his fluffy wuffy fur!”  
  
“How did you know that would work?” Loki asked both startled and amazed, more so the latter as he approached her. She shrugged her shoulders. “I didn’t.”  
  
“…you what?” he asked monotone. She grinned and walked up to him with great gait. “Yup. Sounded like a fun idea. Figured I’d give it a whirl.”  
  
“Had that not worked you could have been torn apart!” he exclaimed. “He wouldn’t have listened to her, but you wouldn’t have been able to subjugate him. You’re lucky I was here.” She snickered. “I know, right? Me and my near death experiences…”  
  
“You are unbelievably reckless.”  
  
“You say it like it’s a bad thing. Oh crap! Now that she’s dead, does that mean every spell she’s cast has been nullified? And that you have your power back?” Her eyes were alight with unbridled excitement. He looked down at his palm, which radiated a faint emerald aura. “I suppose it would, though I doubt I can use it.”  
  
“Don’t sound so thrilled.”  
  
“Odin will awaken soon. You know what comes next.”  
  
“Right. Trial.” She looked down at the cube, her obscured reflection staring back at her on its translucent surface. Taking a deep breath she replied, “Well, remember, you’ve got me. Always have, always will. Whether you like it or not. In the mean time this fucker should probably be put back where it belongs.” She turned in the direction of the room which housed the relic, then suddenly stopped. “Even if she wasn’t channeling any power of yours the cube still turned on her. It kept her from controlling him. And if Sigyn was speaking for you as far as Fenrir was concerned, and her vicarious command worked, what was with the ‘steal the one who belongs to me’ part?”  
  
“…she was just ranting.”  
  
“Oh.” _He made that face again.  He's lying._   She did her best to hide her disappointment and returned the Tesseract to the pedestal where it belonged. It settled in with a sigh, giving off a faint glow intermittently as if it had a heartbeat. She smiled in satisfaction. “Let Operation: Clean Up This Fucking Mess begin.” He was leaning against what remained of the doorway. “Danielle?”  
  
“Yeah?” She turned around.  
  
“You’re still a child.” Unlike her he didn’t bother trying to mask his disappointment.  
  
She rubbed her temples and shook her head in annoyance. “Don’t remind me.” She walked passed him and up to the balcony edge, trying to avoid the long streaks of blood on the floor. She rested her elbows on the elaborately decorated stone and looked down at the emptying battlefield. “Looks like they’re all almost gone. And Fenrir is having a field day with Sigyn. Or…what little is left of her.” She pointed at the mess on the ground which the wolf was lapping up. Not a trace of remained of the Goddess’ corporeal form. She laughed quietly to herself, folding her arms on the railing as she watched the battle die down. “Know what I just realized?”  
  
“What’s that?” She jumped. Having paid so much attention to the gory sight before her she hadn’t noticed he was standing right next to her.  
  
“Her name is Old Norse for ‘victorious girlfriend’.” She snickered again, curling her lips inwards to suppress her laughter. He was unable to, making it even harder for her and eventually she burst out laughing so hard she was clutching her lungs in pain come the end of her giggle fit. “Holy shit, that doesn’t tickle. That is by far the **greatest** misnomer ever. Ow, ow, ow, my ribs.” Her face was bright red.  
  
“That hadn’t occurred to me until you brought it up. You have convinced me. There is no such thing as coincidence. I believe this belongs to you.” Her breath was caught in her throat when he moved behind her, putting her necklace back on her. Her back was almost pressed against his chest. When she had embraced and kissed him after coming back to life she had done so out of her own accord. This was the first time the roles had reversed and he initiated such close physical contact.  
  
“Thanks,” she said quietly, twirling the purple pendant nervously between her fingers as he closed the clasp. “So…if I were older…that would make a difference, right?”  
  
His hands fell to her shoulders. “That’s all it would take.”  
  
“…am I worth waiting for? Honestly?”  
  
“That’s a ridiculous question. I couldn’t get rid of you even if I wanted to, you little parasite.” She smiled softly to herself. “And you think I have a weird way of reassuring people?” _I came back to life about a half-hour, maybe forty-five minutes ago but it wasn’t until just now I actually felt alive again. Could this get any more miserably cliché? Ugh. All this sappy crappy nonsense is getting on my nerves! Damn feelings and…feeling things and…all the things I feel…Why do I have so many feelings?!_ “This is probably a stupid question but your divorce is finalized now, right?”  
  
“I think it would be rather difficult to maintain a marriage to bloodstains so I’d venture to say it is. But that’s just my humble opinion.”  
  
“There is **nothing** humble about you.”  
  
“You’re one to talk. You’ve developed a bit of an arrogant streak.”  
  
“Have not,” she said in a childish tone.  
  
“Yes, you have.”  
  
“Well…that’s because you’re a terrible influence on me.”  
  
“Is that really the best counter you can come up with? I’m a little disappointed in you.”  
  
“Bitch please, I died for your redemption. I’m like Jesus! So you should be nice to me, damn it.”  
  
“What’s that you were saying about not being arrogant?”  
  
“I was…speaking relatively, obviously.  I missed yelling at you.” She spun on her heel. “How long? How long do I have to wait? How old do I have to be?”  
  
“It’s not a matter of exact age.”  
  
“Well then what is it?” she demanded, clenching her jaw. “I’m not exactly a patient person, in case you haven’t noticed.”  
  
“Nor am I, so believe me when I say this is difficult for me as well. When I said ‘you’re still a child’ I wasn’t referring to your age. You still have a lot of growing up to do. You said so yourself, I’m no expert on Midgard. But even I know there is still a great deal which you are still expected to accomplish, and more you have yet to even begin.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, like finishing school and all that stuff. I get it. It makes sense. I just don’t like it.” She folded her arms over chest, eyes downcast.  
  
“Danielle, look at me.” She turned her head away, scrunching her lips in frustration. He put his fingers to her cheek and gently turned her head back in his direction but she kept her eyes cast downwards. “Look at me,” he repeated in quieter tone, his fingers sliding down her cheek to her chin. He cupped it and tilted her head upwards.  
  
“What?” she snapped.  
  
“What would you say if I told you that, now everyone is convinced I’m a changed man, I’m going to take your morally decrepit world and enslave it? And to show you my gratitude I will make you my queen.”  
  
“Sign me the fuck up!” she exclaimed.  
  
“You…do know that I’m joking, right?” he asked a little nervously, taken aback by her overwhelming enthusiasm. She feigned disappointment. “Well there go my weekend plans.” She removed his hand and held it in between both of hers, clutching it tightly to her chest. “Alright, so let’s play pretend and say six Midgardian years from now, when I’m twenty-three. How long of a wait would that be for you?”  
  
“Too long, but if you’re asking for a time span I would guess roughly twenty or thirty years.” Her eyes widened. “And you would wait…that long? For me?”  
  
“Longer if I had to. But one thing at a time. It would appear the last of the Chitauri have fallen. It won’t be long before Odin awakens. And I’m sure he’s going to make a big deal out of the Avengers destroying the threat and what not.” He rolled his eyes in annoyance. “But you my dear not only found the traitor, you saved Asgard and the Tesseract. On a whim no less. You’re going to receive a great deal of recognition for that…for lack of better words…” She narrowed her eyes quizzically, unsure as to what he was implying, then widened them in horror. “Oh no,” she breathed.  
  
“Oh yes,” he nodded.  
  
“But…but…I haven’t even gotten used to the stupid fricken’ crazy humans who fawn all over me!” She dropped her forehead against his chest. “I don’t want the Æsir in my fanclub too,” she whined. “Even when Sigyn dies she still makes my life suck! Argh! Just when I thought I couldn’t hate her anymore…I hate being the center of attention.”  
  
“It’s par for the course when you’re responsible for saving the abode of the Gods.”  
  
“You aren’t even remotely helpful right now,” she replied monotone, looking up at him with an irked expression on her face.  
  
“Funny you mention that, considering that I'm trying not to be,” he said with a bit of a grin.  
  
“You have way too much fun irritating me.”  
  
“That’s because you’re a terrible influence on me,” he echoed.  
  
“I’ll murder you in your sleep. I will come in your room in the middle of the night-”  
  
“We just had this conversation. You’re far too young.”  
  
“That’s not what I meant!” she barked, her face deep red. She put a hand on her hip and pointed a finger against his chest. “I hate you,” she said, poking him with each syllable.  
  
“Red looks lovely on you.”  
  
“I’m gonna tell you the exact same thing when I’m drowning you in your own blood,” she hissed, both hands on her hips, leaning forward and narrowing her eyes at him. She calmed down and ran her fingers through her messy blonde hair. “Alright, subject change. When will you be tried?”  
  
“I can’t say for certain. But if I had to guess there’s going to be some sort of celebration tonight in your honor, and theirs, for what you did today. It could be as early as tomorrow morning.”  
  
“OK,” she nodded. “Promise I’ll be there.”  
  
“Please do me a favor and try not to cause too much trouble or _you_ might be put to death. You already died once. I can’t speak for anyone else but I know I certainly can’t handle experiencing that again. And I don’t think Hel will be able to let you go a second time. Especially if you’ve been put to death by Odin’s command.”  
  
“Drama queen. No one’s dying. Like I said, I have a solid defense all set for ya. Until then I do wanna go see them…Aunt Natasha looked a little banged up when I was down there.”  
  
“Of course,” he replied, growing visibly paler by the second.  
  
“Shit and a half, you look like a hot mess right now,” she said concerned. “You’re completely terrified of what could happen at that trial, aren’t you?” _Make it hard for me to leave, why don’t you. Hell, it would’ve been regardless._  
  
“‘Terrified’ is a very strong word. And a very fitting one,” he admitted. Her facial expression softened and she took his hands in her own, holding them tightly. “I may still be a child,” she began, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t get a head start on being a badass girlfriend. Not that I need any practice with the ‘badass’ part.”  
  
“It’s a really bizarre experience living with the fact that there’s someone so damned overprotective of me. Especially someone as reckless, obnoxious, and careless as you.”  
  
“I am **not** overprotective!” she protested. “You’re just a total wreck right now and, well, I’ve been on this path for how long now? Only direction is forward. If I had to guess what pisses me off the most about this whole ordeal is that you've been completely alone the entire time.  God or not, that's expecting way too much from one person.  Besides, you’re still putting the pieces back together and as much as you hate hearing this, thinking this, and acknowledging this you are extremely vulnerable right now. Is it really asking so much to just…give you a break? ‘Cause you definitely deserve one. Just let me handle all this bullshit for awhile instead.”  
  
“As if you give me a choice,” he said with a slight laugh.  
  
“You’ve trusted me up to this point. And you trust me to handle your trial and your defense, right?” He nodded. “I know this is easier said than done but you need to relax. I won’t be completely speaking for you of course-”  
  
“Yes you will,” he corrected. “Those who are tried have no speaking rights. As such, no defense. I am completely at the mercy of Odin’s judgment. There is more to the process, but it all ends with him.” Her jaw dropped. “Oh hell no. That is fucking ridiculous!”  
  
“Now you know why I need you there. There is no one else rash, reckless, and foolish enough to interrupt a trial to argue with him, as strange as the reasoning is.”  
  
“Oh now you’re just making me blush again,” she said with a fake giggle. “Even I admit I’m pretty stubbornly stupid and stupidly stubborn.”  
  
“Rather, there is no one who would even bother to interrupt a trial on my behalf to argue with him,” he added. “Except you.  And I trust you to concoct a substantial argument, though it might work to your advantage if you don't yell quite as much.  I know it's contrary to what you're familiar with but it wouldn't hurt to try.  Before it completely slips my mind there is something I need to tell you.”  
  
“What’s that?”  
  
“By all means feel free to disagree with me, but I was wrong when I accused you of acting out of your own personal gain. I realized that you and Sigyn are, or were, very similar looking and you both tried to benefit me in some way or another. I confused you for her when I said you weren’t acting out of altruism. Truth be told she’s the closest I’ve ever come to having anyone being so damned determined to do even the slightest favor for me aside from Thor, and in being reminded of that I was reminded of her motives, so I became defensive.” She shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. I already figured that. It did give me a lot to think about, but I knew you were speaking out of anger. No harm done.”  
  
“You are far too forgiving.”  
  
“Pfft. As if. I only forgive when someone has earned my forgiveness, and as far as I’m concerned you never did anything wrong to begin with. We were all under crazy amounts of pressure, and to a degree still are. I don’t even want to think about the arguing my parents probably got into in my absence. Actually I don’t want to think about them period right now. They’ve been pissing me off like there’s no tomorrow lately and I’m tired of being the one to get them to shut up and agree and…” She exhaled heavily through her nostrils. “Not even going there. Fuck parents. That’s all I’ve got to say on the matter.” Her eyes became very distant all of a sudden.  
  
“Another quote come to mind?”  
  
“Stop knowing me so well, it’s weird. But yes. From _Demian_. Shocking I know. The one about parents and major crises and childhood falling apart. So basically your life summed up in a few lines from the book. Wow, I haven’t seen that look in awhile. That’s the ‘I really wish I could strangle you right now’ look. Alright, alright, I’m done. Seriously though, fuck parents. I'm worried that they might just get on my nerves again and I really don't wanna have to deal with that after the exciting day I've had.  Trying to push the rest of the world out of my head.  Right now there’s only one thing on my mind.”  
  
“What would that be?”  
  
“I wish I were older.”


	23. Bitter, Sweet, and Everything in Between

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter yet. Why? We got some triple shipping to do! Next chapter...yeah, that's right. The trial of the century, and you-know-who is gonna turn it into her own little circus. So if Pepper and Natasha is Peptasha and Steve and Tony is Stony, what would Danielle and Loki be? Include your suggestions in the comments if you have any! :)

“Young lady, get over here right now and explain to me how it is you’re able to get over here!” Danielle’s eyes lit up and she ran down the front steps of large palace, jumping up onto her father and wrapping her arms around his neck. Had she gone for her dad instead she surely would have knocked him over. “And don’t ever scare me like that again. That’s an order.” He held her tightly, as if letting go would mean losing her forever.  
  
“Sir, yes, sir,” she replied quietly, feeling her throat tighten. _Damn, more feelings. Family and feelings…Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry!_  
  
“Excuse me Steven but unless I missed the memo you don’t monopolize Danielle.” She felt her dad hug her from behind and she was squished in between the two of them. “I’m not five, we don’t do Dani sandwiches anymore!” she cried. “That’s what you think,” Tony replied, “unless you really are a zombie.”  
  
“I’m not a zombie! What the shit made you think that?”  
  
“Reanimated body!” he exclaimed.  
  
“Well if she isn’t a zombie I suppose it’s safe for me to come close to her.” Natasha, with some of her outfit torn off and wrapped around the wound on her arm squeezed her way in and joined the group hug. Danielle groaned. “Oh hell no, please guys don’t-”  
  
“Pretty sure I can fit in there somewhere,” she heard Clint say and felt another presence work its way in. _At least Uncle Bruce isn’t the Jolly Green Giant right now,_ she thought to herself as the scientist also tried to get in on the hug. “I won’t be able to talk if you guys are squeezing like a tube of toothpaste!” she gasped. “Do you want to know what happened or not?!”  
  
“Can you blame us?” Clint asked with an eyebrow raised as one by one they backed up, and Steve and Tony finally let go of her. She took a deep breath. “Unless you’re trying to kill me again…Oh, too soon? Sorry. Hey, where did Uncle Thor run off to?” She looked around but the thunder God was nowhere in sight.  
  
“He went inside already to see his father,” Natasha replied. “You just missed him. Sif and the Warriors Three were with them.”  
  
“Loki will probably tell him if and when they bump into each other. No one give that look! I said I’d explain everything.” She took a few steps backward and plopped down at the bottom of the beautiful staircase. “Gather around children, it’s story time.” Danielle explained her descent into Niflheim and her encounter with Hel, coming back to life, and how she engineered Sigyn’s death with a little help from Loki. Her story elicited wide eyes and gasps of shock and awe. After she finished she shrugged. “And…yeah. That’s really it."  
  
“Please tell me this wasn’t some sort of Faustian deal with the devil you made,” Steve said nervously. She laughed and shook her head. “No, it wasn’t. But nice literary reference!”  
  
“So…you were with Loki…alone in that room…” Tony began. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Yeah. And?”  
  
“That’s what I’m asking you. _And_?”  
  
“And nothing! First everyone is badgering him and now I’m getting the same treatment. Why is everyone assuming something’s happening between us? I’m barely seventeen. I’m still a kid. I’m not gonna friggin’ elope to Asgard!”  
  
“I didn’t say anything about eloping.”  
  
“Neither did I. I said I’m not doing it.”  
  
“So…what now?” Clint looked over his shoulder, making a disgusted face as he watched Fenrir roam the field for dead bodies to eat. “Glad we’re not on clean up duty.”  
  
“I just wanna huggle him forever and ever!” she squealed, kicking her feet. “He’s soooooo cute! Look at dat face and dose ears and dat big nose and dose big furry pawsies! As for now, I don’t really know. But Odin is waking up I’m guessing, so Thor is gonna have to explain everything he’s missed out on…And Loki will have to explain why he’s here.” _Shit. That completely slipped my mind. I should- no. He needs to confront Odin on his own. I can talk to him about it later._

* * *

  
 **Odin’s Resting Chamber**  
  
  
“So this was Sigyn’s doing. And…a human girl, child of two of your comrades, was responsible for her death?”  
  
“And saving the Tesseract,” Thor replied proudly. “It is the child that I helped raised.”  
  
“I see. And she did this by herself? Even though Sigyn held Loki’s power in her body? If she is dead now they have returned to him…But he still cannot use them until he has proven this bitterness and hatred has dissipated.”  
  
“Yes, about that…” As Thor searched for the words to try and gently break the news to Odin that Loki was currently in Asgard no less they both heard a ferocious howling in the distance.  
  
“What was that?” Odin asked concerned, rising from the bed with minor difficulty. Having been still for seventeen years left his body very sore. “Father, you need to be cautious. You’ve been asleep for-”  
  
“Answer me!” he demanded, beginning to put the pieces together. “Who released him? Why is he here of all places?!”  
  
“Loki did it,” he said with a slight nervous stutter. “Before you do or say anything please listen to me, and believe me when I say it’s not what you might think. He wasn’t sent here to attack you. Loki commanded he destroy the Chitauri, I swear it. Fenrir is also the reason Sigyn is dead, through the combined efforts of Loki and Danielle. When he was sent to Midgard the human identity he was forced to assume was that of an instructor at Danielle’s school. They met, she knew who he was, and since then for the past two and a half months she has been slowly helping him change for the better. Back to the Loki you and I both know, miss, and love dearly. He cares about that girl, more than he would care to admit I believe, and she reciprocates it.” Thor spoke quickly, anxiously, but Odin heard every word.  
  
“Danielle not only saved Asgard, but she has helped reform your younger brother?”  
  
“Yes. And he has listened to her out of his own accord. Never was she in any danger in his company. I believe that when Danielle died Loki felt he had lost everything he had regained. He lost the only thing he had come to care about, and so he cared not for what could become of him so long as Danielle was avenged. Give her a chance to show you, give him a chance to prove it to you. Tonight we must have some sort of celebration in their honor, especially hers. You must see how he interacts with her. I have yet to see it for myself but the way he speaks of her…She gave him something he had long since forgotten. A reason to care for something other than a lust for power or vengeance. The only time I’ve seen him attain vengeance since his banishment to Midgard was in her name. Sigyn had the girl kidnapped and tortured because of her envy and anger towards Loki. She wanted to punish him and used Danielle. It worked. What does that say to you?” Odin nodded slowly as he let his son’s words settle in. “Where is he now?”  
  
“I’m not sure. I saw him on my way here. He explained to me how Danielle was brought back to us. Sigyn had arranged her death. Hel broke her oath because she believed in the effect Danielle was having on Loki. Hel told Danielle that there must be something important about her if Loki cared for her so deeply. She wanted to end Sigyn, as did all of his children, but I believe the primary reason she let Danielle come back was because she wanted her father to be happy. I know that for him to truly change she cannot be the only source of his happiness, his strengthening of moral character. But it’s a start, and a potent one at that.”  
  
“Is it platonic?”  
  
“Yes. But though Danielle is young for a human, it would not surprise me if-” He was cut off by another loud howl.  
  
“That thing needs to be tied back up,” Odin muttered in annoyance as he stormed past Thor and out into the massive hall to see for himself what was going on. Down below what was once a battlefield had become a playground as Danielle was throwing Chitauri bodies through the air like javelins and Fenrir would jump to catch them, then return them to her expecting praise as his large tail thumped loudly against the ground in excitement.  
  
“Why is Fenrir not attacking her?”  
  
“Loki forbade him from attacking any other than the Chitauri.”  
  
“And how was it that he killed Sigyn?”  
  
“Sigyn’s arrogance clouded her judgment and she tried to command him, not realizing that her words would be interpreted as his. At least that is what Danielle believes to have happened.  She can be…impulsive sometimes. The way she tricked Sigyn was a whim she decided to put to the test. She didn’t even know if it would work, but she was willing to put herself in harm’s way to stop Sigyn and retrieve the Tesseract.”  
  
“That doesn’t explain all this.” He pointed back and forth between the two. Fenrir was laying down while Danielle scratched behind his ear, causing one of his hind legs to kick reflexively.  
  
“Loki told me that when he went to Fenrir he had mentioned Danielle in passing. He said that she is the only other person he would trust his son with.”  
  
“He’s acting like a pup again!” Odin exclaimed in confusion and then brushed it aside.  “If what you say is true, about your brother, then there will be no protest if I decide to have him tried tomorrow?” He turned to Thor who shook his head. “No father. Returning has made him anxious, understandably, so he may appear standoffish but just wait and see him with the girl. Just give it a chance.”

* * *

 **Tony’s Lab**  
  
The lower one descends down Yggdrasil the faster time begins to move. A day or two in the higher planes could equate to a few Midgardian minutes. Though Danielle had been taken a few days ago and her family and Loki left not long after, it was nearing the seventeen hour mark that Pepper and Phil had been “babysitting” the wormhole.  
  
“So if this God friend of Thor’s could have brought them along this entire time, and they ended up building a machine to take care of it for him only to have him give it a charge and come to life, does that make it a deus ex machina?” he joked standing not far away from Pepper, who was seated diagonally from the machine reviewing some paperwork from Stark Industries to “pass the time”. In truth she just needed a distraction. She looked up at Phil and blinked. “Sorry, did you say something? I was getting buried in work again.”  
  
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Were you now?”  
  
“…yes,” she replied feeling as though she was being interrogated. “Why do you ask?”  
  
“You’ve been staring at the same page for four hours now.”  
  
“This is a very demanding job and every little detail requires a great deal of attention.” She pretended to review the paperwork in her hands again, folding one leg over the other.  
  
“I’m sure she’s fine. She’s in good company.”  
  
“I’m not as worried about Dani as I probably should be. I have a lot of faith in her. I just hope it isn’t blind.” He shook his head. “I wasn’t talking about Dani. I was talking about Natasha.”  
  
She jerked her head in his direction. “What does this have to do with Natasha?”  
  
“You’re worried about her.”  
  
“I’m worried about all of them,” she said defensively. He raised an eyebrow at her. “You looked pretty torn up over the idea of her running off to an alien planet. More so her than everyone else.”  
  
“Phil, you’re imagining things. So if you don’t mind-”  
  
“She talks about you.” Pepper blinked in surprise. “She does? What does she say?”  
  
“She’s gotten into this really strange habit of making comments like ‘That sounds like something Pepper would say’, ‘Pepper would lose her mind if she saw the mess of paperwork on your desk, Agent Coulson’, ‘This reminds me of the time that Pepper…insert thing you did or said here’, and so on. She didn’t need to explicitly say it. We all figured it out. Especially after Hill caught her smelling her jacket in the locker room, thinking she was alone, and saying something about how it still smells like your perfume.”  
  
“Oh…I see.” She was starting to turn red. “I haven’t said anything to anyone. I accidentally told Steve indirectly but I’m not out. I only realized it recently myself. You know, the um, being gay thing.” She laughed nervously. “That’s still so strange to say out loud. We’re taking things very slowly because it’s so new for the both of us. There’s nothing official yet.”  
  
“Official? You mean like Facebook? What is this, 2011?”

* * *

 **Asgardian Palace**  
  
Frigga’s handmaidens were busy tending to the injured parties of the battle, turning her hall in the Asgardian palace into a makeshift hospital ward. Natasha’s laceration on her arm had been cleaned and covered with proper bandaging. She was sitting on a makeshift cot, examining her arm when Clint approached her.  
  
“Careful twisting it around,” he advised. “You don’t want to reopen that gash.”  
  
“I’ve had worse,” she replied pointedly. He sat down next to her. “Someone’s a little crabby.”  
  
“I’m not crabby. Just frustrated.” She eyed him curiously. “You seem a little off right now.”  
  
“What do you mean?” he asked confused, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m fine.”  
  
“You can’t lie to me Barton.”  
  
“I…It was just strange, seeing you with Pepper. It’ll take some getting used to. But uh, I…I can proudly say you’ve been replaced.”  
  
“Interesting way of putting it.” She nudged him. “So, what’s her name?”  
  
“Barbara, but everyone calls her Bobbi.”  
  
“The new agent who joined in the summer? The biochemist?” She nodded in approval. “She’s cute. Have you talked to her yet?”  
  
“No, not yet. Well not informally anyway. I had the chance and I royally fucked it up.”  
  
“Go on,” she urged with a grin. “Well she joined S.H.I.E.L.D., oh when was it…? Sometime in the July. That was when this happened. She was reviewing some finding of hers with Fury and I was within earshot. I heard him say something about presenting it to me because she was studying the serum and I was the only person around at the time who knew enough about him to give her anything useful. She came over to me, introduced herself, and started asking some generic questions about Steve.  I started telling her about Dani and how the SSS has some kind of genetic property which blew her mind, the more I talked about it. She started asking me about Dani, which inevitably led to a casual chat about the Rogers-Stark clan, and so I started talking less about the SSS and more about Dani’s shenanigans. Didn’t someone call them ‘shedanigans’ once?”  
  
“Yeah, you. Keep going.”  
  
“She sounded really interested in Dani and learning more about how the SSS works when genetically passed on versus injected, and I told her that Dani isn’t a huge fan of people making a big deal out of it. She…Try not to laugh, okay? She said to me that she would love to talk more about it over dinner sometime. I didn’t realize she was asking me out so I told her I had no assignments that day and we could talk during her downtime. I inadvertently shot her down and she hasn’t talked to me much since.”  
  
Mouth slightly agape she shook her head. “You are so dense when it comes to women. You can’t tell when they’re interested _or_ disinterested in you!”  
  
“Cut me slack, Nat!  It was just a little crush but after that talk we had I'm going to give it another try.”  
  
“Suppose it could have been worse. You could’ve asked her if she’d ever had shawarma before. That was by far one of Tony’s worst ideas.  I can’t decide which is his best though. I’m caught between Dani and breaking up with Pepper.” He chuckled. “You’re terrible. How are things with her?”  
  
“I think you already have a decent idea,” she replied, lips curving to the side in annoyance.  
  
“Oh…You heard that…”  
  
“Of course we did! You shouted it!”  
  
“So did you…you know?” he asked suggestively.  
  
“We are adults here Clint, it’s okay to use language like “finger bang her into oblivion”.”  
  
“Well did you?”  
  
“I don’t kiss and tell,” she winked.  
  
“You know, I just realized your codename could be a reference to cunnilin- Ow! It was just a joke, you don’t need to punch me!”  
  
“I couldn’t punch Pepper when she made the joke. You on the other hand are fair game.”  
  
On the other side of the room Tony was laying down, looking incredibly worn out despite having been in almost perfect condition near the battle’s end. He was having minor chest pains and looked a little pale. It wasn’t cause for great concern but the change in his well-being was cause enough. Steve and Danielle were sitting by his side.  
  
“Maybe the alcohol withdrawal is kicking in,” he said quietly, breathing slowly to keep his body relaxed. Danielle’s shoulders dropped. “Withdrawal?”  
  
“I fucked up, kiddo. Became a little too friendly with the bottle again after you were kidnapped.”  
  
“And I didn’t intervene like I should have,” Steve added turning to his daughter. “We realized that the reason we were arguing so much was because this is the first time that any stress from work has carried over into our personal lives. We’ve always been good at keeping the two separate. No one is blaming you of course.” He rubbed her back reassuringly. “No, I know. It’s just…I hate making people worry about me but I suppose you two would understand. Whenever I was able to get any sleep while held captive I would have nightmares about getting shot and hit over the head.” She lifted her shirt slightly to reveal her perfectly circular scar. “They haven’t really gone away and I can’t think about it without getting a little shaky. I have PTSD, don’t I?”  
  
“I would be highly surprised, and perhaps a little alarmed if you didn’t after everything you’ve been through,” Tony replied. “As ballsy as you may be, you’re not invincible. Perhaps when we get back home you can see one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s therapists.”  
  
“They have a handful for their field agents. I saw one briefly after I woke up,” her father explained. “It’s not just your body that’s going be covered in scars after an experience like this. Trust me. You were practically a POW and-”  
  
“Whoa, father, please, relax. Let’s all have a meltdown one at a time, OK?” she said with a slight grin. “I’m glad that you two were able to figure that out.”  
  
“I’m sorry you had to be the adult,” Tony said putting a hand on her knee. “We shouldn’t have put you in that position.” Steve nodded in agreement. She looked down at her feet and then back and forth between the two. “How bad did it get? When I was gone, I mean.” The two exchanged nervous glances but saw no point in lying to placate her.  
  
“I had, out of anger, suggested separation. Which I regret more than you can even begin to imagine.”  
  
“My response wasn’t exactly the most helpful.”  
  
“No, but it was a little witty.”  
  
“So it was just out of anger right?” she asked sounding frazzled. “You’re not going to consider the possibility anymore right?”  
  
“Ha! There was no possibility. I was just a bitter jackass.”  
  
Steve ruffled her hair. “That’s right. You’re stuck with us.” She frowned playfully as she fixed her appearance. “Oh no, however shall I cope?” she asked with monotone sarcasm. “As long as you two are done being idiots. Start again and I-”  
  
“And you’ll nothing,” her father interrupted sternly.  
  
“Yeah, that’s big people talk.”  
  
“The concern is appreciated but it’s not your job to try and fix everything. Especially not the relationship between your parents.”  
  
“Or fix Loki,” Tony added.  She frowned and clenched her jaw.  “He’s not broken, he didn't need to be fixed,” she said defensively. “He was just…confused. He needed to figure himself out. And he didn’t know how. After everything he’s been through I can’t say I’m the least bit surprised that he did everything he did. And I didn’t really do much to help him. No one said he had to listen to me. He chose to. He changed himself.”  
  
“Alright,” her dad relented. “I’ll take your word for it.” She nodded. “Damn right you will. I wonder where he ran off to…” Her question was answered by a threatening roar from outside. “I’ll be back.” Danielle left to go see if she could calm the frustrated creature. Steve took Tony’s hand and they watched her leave.  
  
“It feels like just yesterday she was calling her teacher a cunt,” the inventor said with a sigh.  
  
“Now she’s defying death, fighting alien hordes, reforming villains, killing evil Goddesses, saving Asgard, saving the Tesseract…” He shook his head in disbelief. “They grow up so fast.”  Tony looked up at Steve. “We may have been screwing up lately but if there’s one thing we did perfectly, it’s her.” The blond folded his husband’s hand and kissed just below the knuckles. “I couldn’t agree more.”  
  
Not long after she was gone Bruce, who had gauze tape across his upper abdomen, approached them. “You’re not looking much better,” he said concerned, examining Tony who shrugged it off. “If this fabled feast I keep hearing about really does happen I’ll probably feel better. Could be lack of food, sleep, sex, who knows?”  
  
“The arc reactor wasn’t damaged out there, was it?” Tony shook his head. “Doubt it. We can test it when we go home. So, to more serious matters. Dani has a crush on Loki, yes or no?”  
  
“With the way she talked about him in her story I certainly had that impression,” the other scientist replied. Steve bit his lip. “I’m not going to judge her if she does because it’s safe to say he’s turning over a new leaf. But God forbid my adolescent daughter’s first boyfriend happens to be someone hundreds of years old.”  
  
“I thought it was in the thousands?”  
  
“That isn’t any better, Tony.”  
  
“Well sweetheart, I wish you all the best trying to stop her.”  
  
Outside Danielle stormed down the massive steps to the palace’s entrance, enraged by the sight of the palace guards trying to muzzle and leash Fenrir. Thor and Loki were at the bottom of the steps watching, the latter looking somewhat heartbroken but his presence was necessary in the event that the wolf became too feral.  
  
“This is so fucking ridiculous,” Danielle commented, standing next to him, arms over her chest. “The whole reason he’s so damn irritable is because he’s restless from being tied up and absolutely attention and affection starved!”  She groaned loudly. “I can't watch another second of this,” she snapped and marched over to the wolf. “Move aside, dumbfucks!” Danielle ordered to the guards, who wouldn’t dare argue with the human who had eradicated the traitor. Word was starting to spread quite quickly around Asgard about their heroine. Fenrir was trying to pull his muzzle off with his paws.  
  
“Hey you, calm down,” she said gently. He flopped down in front of her and whimpered, immediately subdued. She got down on one knee and folded her arms over it. “I know you don’t wanna go back. You’re angry about being tied up right?” He whined again. “Look at it this way. Would you rather be restrained but in your natural environment, or able to roam free and probably be hunted down and have everyone around you despise you?” She scooted over to his ear and whispered, “I’m going to make sure nothing bad happens to your dad when he’s on trial, so he’ll be able to come visit you and you won’t be so lonely anymore. And I’ll see if I can come visit you too sometime.” He immediately perked up, panting happily and thumping this tail on the ground. She stood up and scratched behind his ear again. “Good boy. You’re so soft I could just sleep on you! Who’s the bestest killer of evil stepmoms? You are, yes you are! High five for teamwork.” She held out a hand and he dropped one of his large paws onto it, almost causing her to lose her balance. “I know it’s not in your genes but you need to try to behave, OK? Can you do that?” He sat up straight, ready to obey her orders. “Good boy. I love you so much!” she squeaked.  
  
When the guards tried to approach the obedient Fenrir he immediately started growling again. Danielle smacked her forehead. “What is this gonna take? It’s not like I can bring you back!” He began to jump around happily. “Oh no, no, no, no. I can’t- DON’T even try using the pout on me! I am the Almighty Supreme Empress of the Pout. It doesn’t work on me!” She sighed and turned to the two Gods, elbows bent and shoulders rolling. “He won’t calm his shit unless I take him back apparently."  She looked back at the other two. “So now what?”  
  
“I can’t return him myself,” Loki muttered.  
  
“No…But who better to supervise you than the Savior of Asgard?” Thor said with a somewhat suggestive tone.  
  
“What are you implying?”  
  
“What better excuse to keep avoiding father _and_ be alone with her?”  
  
“Alone with her?  She’s a child.”  
  
“Funny how you mention her age instead of denying any sort of relationship that is more than platonic…”  
  
“I should’ve killed you when I had the chance.”  
  
“Anybody gonna answer my question or do I need to have a screaming fit to get some attention?!”  
  
“You already are!” the younger of the two retorted and shook his head. “If it gets me away from here for a little while I won’t complain. I’ll have her accompany me.”

* * *

 **Gioll**  
  
“So you guys would **intentionally** send humans the wrong information to ensure no one might stumble upon anything they weren’t supposed to know? Explains why every record says the Gioll was a huge rock buried beneath the earth, and not an enormous tree. And that Laufey was female.”  
  
“You’re joking.” Danielle shook her head, walking in between the over-affectionate Fenrir and Loki through a pristine forest clearing one could only expect to find in the abode of the Gods. “Nope. Laufey is apparently female, yet you’re still given the name Laufeyson in all the poems and what not despite that. Not sure why. I remember having the time of my life as a kid finding out which of the stories were false and which were true because I felt so special and entitled, having one of the Æsir share all that privileged information with me. I’d scour the internet for all the poems of the _Prose Edda_ and _Poetic Edda_ and have Thor translate them and tell me which were accurate and which were utter bullshit.” She bit her lip to suppress a sudden fit of laughter. He raised an eyebrow at her. “Dare I ask?”  
  
She put a hand over her mouth and shook her head. “No, you don’t wanna know.”  
  
“I do after being told that.”  
  
“OK…” She struggled to get the words out. “But you have to promise not to strangle me.” Fenrir let out a low, threatening growl. “Holy shit! I think he likes me more than you,” she teased, elbowing him. “Just the thought of someone strangling me is getting him agitated.” She ran her hand along his back; though soft, the fur was gnarled and matted with blood from the creatures he would hunt in the woods he was kept in.  
  
“Out with it.”  
  
“OK, OK. I just remembered which poem was my favorite when I was younger.”  
  
“…Oh good Gods, don’t tell me.” She nodded, giggling. “Yup. The _Thrymskvida_.”  
  
“Why was there even made record of that?” he exclaimed in annoyance. “By far one of the most miserable experiences of my life.”  
  
“So dressing up as a woman is terrible, but shapeshifting into a mare and giving birth isn’t?”  
  
“No, that was certainly miserable as well, and I would greatly appreciate it if you never brought either of those up again.”  
  
“Alright, I won’t. Silver lining though. Sleipnir.”  
  
“Whom I am never allowed to see…” he replied, voice trailing off. Danielle bit her lip. _He’s pretty much lost all of his kids…This really has to suck right now._ “Once you’re acquitted will that change?”  
  
“I don’t see why it wouldn’t. But Hel would still be trapped in Niflheim, Fenrir out here, and…I wonder how much of it is because of them or actually because of me.”  
  
“It’s because of everyone else for being biased jackasses,” she replied nonchalantly, not caring if Heimdall overheard her words. She had already thought far worse things about other members of the pantheon and as her personality had become more outgoing and energetic as of late, her verbal filter had begun to deteriorate in a directly proportionate relation. She was certain that she would call Odin a ‘fuckwit’ at some point or another during the trial.  
  
“I won’t argue with that. This is it,” he said nodding forward. In the middle of the clearing was an enormous tree covered in claw and bite marks. A thin ribbon was wrapped around and tied to it. Fenrir shrank back behind Danielle whimpering and she felt her heart sink. To continue her tradition of alleviating Loki from yet another burden she turned around, back to the tree, and asked, “You want me to do it instead?”  
  
He hesitated.  “Make it quick.” She nodded. “Okee dokee. Come on Fenrir.” She motioned for the wolf to follow her, who did so with his head hung low. She scratched that spot behind his ear the entire time to keep him at ease. “Now don’t you go biting my hand off, I’m not Tyr,” she jokingly warned, which the wolf seemed to appreciate. He loathed the Gods as much as they did him. He lay down looking quite pitiful as she grabbed the end of enchanted ribbon used to restrain him and slowly bound him. When she was done he looked up at her with sad eyes. “I told you I’ll come back some day, and when I do I’ll see if I can get permission to let you go again for a little while. Sound good?” To show his appreciation for her offer Fenrir began licking her mercilessly.  
  
“Ah! Stop, stop, stop before you lick me to death!” she laughed, trying to shield her face. He drew back but still seemed to be in relatively good spirits. She wiped her face off with the back of her sleeve. “Gross. I mean, I love you, but…gross. I’ll see you again, I promise. But you gotta promise to stay fluffy and adorable, OK? OK.” She blew him a kiss before she turned around to leave, doing her best to ignore the lonely whimpering behind her.  
  
“Well that sucked,” she said emphatically, rejoining Loki who had his back turned. “All the awesomeness I felt earlier from saving insert all the stuff I saved here and coming back to life…Completely drained of it.” Before they left he looked over his shoulder and said to the wolf, “Ek elska thik.”  
  
“You talking to me or him?” she teased as they began the walk back.  
  
“Ignoring that, you actually memorized that much of the poem?”  
  
“You’d know if I was lying,” she pointed out. “Why? Don’t tell me I just inflated your already overinflated ego. I don’t remember it as well as I used to though. Now that I think about it I’m pretty sure I only remember your parts ‘cause I thought they were the funniest, so I would reread them all the time. Wow. I sound a bit like a stalker.”  
  
“Or a very devoted worshipper,” he replied facetiously.  
  
“You wish.” _Note to self- in the future, roleplay the naughty Pagan and the God of punishme- WHAT IN THE HELL AM I THINKING?! I really am my dad’s kid._  
  
“Why do you look so disturbed all of a sudden?” he asked curiously.  
  
“Because fuck my brain, that’s why.” When the palace was in view he abruptly stopped and she followed suit. “With each passing second the more daunting it becomes.”  
  
“Going back or the trial?”  
  
“All of it. Simply being here in Asgard makes me feel ill.”  
  
“Rather be in Midgard?” she asked half-jokingly. A part of her wondered if being in Asgard had less to do with its inhabitants than the place itself; as far as he was concerned Asgard as a whole, his former home and the only place he had ever called home, had betrayed him.  
  
“I don’t know where I would rather be. Anywhere but here I.  Though I suppose I can tolerate it if you're here.” He doubted the two of them would have many if any chances to be alone together, and after the conversation they had following Sigyn’s death he was extremely conflicted over whether or not it was a good idea in the first place.  Smiling, she latched on to his arm, trying to drag him along. “Come on. The sooner this day is over with, the sooner tomorrow is gonna come, and the sooner I can verbally eviscerate the prosecution. That’s something to look forward to.  So...what’s the worst part about being back here?” she asked quietly.  
  
“The entirety of it is miserable. But if I had to provide a singular answer I think it would be the fact that everything about this place, every memory, it’s all been tainted. And no matter what I do nothing can change that. Even if I am allowed ‘reentry’, I might as well still be in exile.”  
  
“I have two things to say to that.”  
  
“Only two? That's unlike you...I sincerely hope you haven't contracted another contagion.”  
  
“OK, now three. First thing, fuck you. Second thing, fuck people. You’re back and if they don’t like it that’s their problem. Third thing, another quote because I’m a word nerd and I can’t help it because these things just come to my head. “One never reaches home.  But where paths that have an affinity for each other intersect, the whole world looks like home, for a time.” I know it’s not the most fitting, but it was the only ‘feeling out of place’ one that came to mind.”  
  
“It fits perfectly.”  
  
“…well duh, I thought of it."  She paused. "So how does it fit perfectly?”  
  
“I can’t help but be reminded of a certain parasite, and she makes the entire experience somewhat tolerable.  And our paths seem to not only have intersected but intertwined.”  
  
“Parasite?! How am I a parasite?!”  
  
“You’re assuming I was speaking about you. And you accuse me of having a massive ego.”  
  
“Well who **else** could you be talking about?”  
  
“Is that jealousy I detect? How precious,” he mocked.  She stuck her tongue out again.  “I hate you so much right now. And seriously, how am I a parasite?”  
  
“You’re clinging to me like one.”  
  
“…I never heard you complaining…”  
  
“Oh don’t misinterpret my words dearest, I’m not. I’m merely bringing to your attention the fact that you are comparable to a parasite.”  
  
“You’re so thoughtful. Lucky me.” _Screw poetry, I’d take this kinda banter over that sappy crappy nonsense any day!_

* * *

**Asgardian Palace, Evening**

The Avengers, save for Thor, received formal recognition for their efforts in defending the palace from the Chitauri whereas Danielle was hailed a hero for finding and killing the traitor, as well as saving the Tesseract from her. In true Norse fashion a mandatory elaborate celebration was held in their honor, and just as Thor suggested Odin watched Loki like a hawk. Danielle was sitting between her parents but directly across from him and when not interacting with her he saw no noteworthy change, but when they did it was as though he were looking back in time, except he seemed to forget about the rest of the world when engaging with her. When she wasn’t looking he tried freezing her drink but she saw out of the corner of her eye and pulled it away just in time; either he didn’t care or he didn’t realize that for a brief moment he was starting to shift into jotunn form, as only his hands were visible light blue.  

It last for at least two and a half hours but the socializing didn't end with the feast.  After it ended Steve, Tony, Natasha, Clint, and Bruce all kept a very close watch on Loki and Danielle who were practically inseperable while they 'mingled'.  All they had managed to garner from their observations was that the two of them could talk for hours on end if left by themselves.  That is, until Danielle's boredom set in.

"I guess it doesn't matter what dimension you're in.  Black tie affairs are boring, period."  She rocked back and forth on her heels.  "I'm getting restless."

"We don't need to stay here," he replied eyes slowly traveling towards the exit.  She leaned towards him and narrowed her eyesbrows.  "If my family notices I'm missing I'll never hear the end of it!  Haven't you seen them watching us this entire time?"

"Of course I have.  Do you think I'm fazed by the scrutiny anymore?"

"By now I guess not."  She sighed and gave a devil-may-care wave of her hand.  "Caution to the wind.  I'm getting the festivity equivalent of cabin fever.  Hey, wouldn't the sun be setting right about now?"

"Yes, it would be.  Do you wish to watch it?"  She nodded.  "Yeah, definitely.  I love sunrises and sunsets."

"I know the best place in the castle to watch it from.  Unobstructed view."

"Awesome.  Show me, now," she said with an impatient clap of her hands before giving one last glimpse around the room.  Whenever she spotted one of her family members they would quickly turn away to act as if they were entirely engrossed in their conversations.  She snorted in amusement.  "They're having a really hard time being discreet about it."  The departure didn't go unnoticed and normally Loki would not have been allowed to leave the supervision of the guards, Thor, or Odin but the one who was now hailed 'Savior of Asgard' was with him.  She held no regal authority but she had the respect of the realm and it went without saying that Loki was on his 'best behavior' around her so it was difficult to voice complaint or concern.  Once they were out of the enormous banquet hall Loki nodded down the corridor.  "It's not far."

"Good.  I'm a little sore from the day's excitement."

"I'd alleviate it if I could," he replied whistfully.  She shrugged.  "I'd settle for a back rub."

"That I can do.  Come."  He took her hand and led her along to the their destination.  A bright red color flooded her cheeks and her pace was a little skittish at first, taken aback by the physical contact.  He was the one who said they could not pursue any sort of relationship beyond platonic until she was older but it was blatantly obvious that the self-restraint was extremely difficult for both of them.  She bit her lip as they kept walking, immediately recognizing the route they were taking at that which led to the room where she had done away with Sigyn only hours prior.  It was a very appropriate place to end the day. Various hues of pink, yellow, and orange bled through the sky like spilled paint.  An excited grin on her face, Danielle ran up to the railing, hands gripping tightly and mouth agape as she marveled at the view.

"Holy mother of gorgeousness," she breathed, completely awestruck.  "That's...no words.  No words for it.  Beautiful and all things synonymous don't even begin to cover it."  She rested her arms on the railing, still smiling and watched.  Her heart jumped into her throat when she heard his footsteps draw closer until he was right behind her.

"What has you so nervous?" he asked quietly.  She winced, thinking of no better way to phrase her tension.  "You," she murmured, tightening her grip on the railing.  "You say we need to act like there's an indestructible wall between us, one that will only come down after I'm older, but...At face value it doesn't seem like much.  Coming up behind me and putting my pendant on me." She looked down at the charm.  "Or holding my hand.  I know I'm no better since I was clinging to you earlier but you say one thing, you perform the converse, and nothing is said or done when I commit the same offense.  **What are we doing?**   Are we just going to teeter-totter back and forth?"

"I realized that on the way here," he admitted and then shook his head.  "But I couldn't bring myself to let go.  I kept thinking about how I should, how hypocritical I was being and the mixed message you were no doubt receiving.  But I coudn't."  Her breathing quickened when he moved closer so her back was pressed against his chest.  He put his hands atop hers and as much as she tried to resist the urge she, like reflex, intertwined their fingers. "I still can't," he added quietly.

"And I couldn't tell you to do it."  Not even the natural beauty she enjoyed so much could soothe her nerves.  "I don't know what to do.  I really don't.  I know what we 'should do'.  But...that's just according to convention and common sense, two things I'm not particularly fond of.  At the same time though I...I don't know when I'm going to see you again when this is all over and I don't wanna set up a heartbreak here."

"Nor I."

"Then what do we do Loki?"

"Are you asking what I want to do, or what the more advisable course of action would be?  Because they are polar opposites." 

"Same here."  She pulled her hands away and dropped her face into her palms.  "I think I might be getting a migraine..." **  
**

* * *

**Asgardian Palace, Nighttime**  
  
Sleep came quite easily to all but two that night.  Steve and Tony were sharing one room (“Elevators, offices, the S.H.I.E.L.D. locker room, countless hotel rooms, the private plane, the pool atop the tower…Never thought I’d get to do it in Asgard.” “You’re assuming that there’s any doing to be done.” “Too soon for make up sex?” “I didn’t say that. I was only pointing out that you’re making an assumption.” “OK, cool. So then make up sex, right?”), Bruce and Clint in another, and Natasha and Danielle in the last. Danielle was one of the two whom sleep had eluded.  
  
She lay on one side of the large bed the two were sharing, arms folded behind her head staring blankly at the ceiling. _Calm down Dani! You have a stellar argument. OK, well, some is kinda shaky. Odin can shoot the others down but the last part, nope. But does Loki mind it?  I can’t surprise him with something like that._ She glanced over at Natasha who was soundly sleeping and slowly peeled the covers off one by one and tip-toed out of her room. Just as she did in any new and unfamiliar place, she paid careful attention to the layout whilst out and about in the event that she may need to do what she was about to do. _If anyone catches me I’ll be skewered! But I need to know for certain if that’s something I can do._  
  
The night guards were astute and alert but the distance between the room she and Natasha shared and Loki’s was negligible and sneaking around hardly felt like sneaking at all. When she was out of anyone’s line of sight or range of hearing she quickly and quietly knocked on his door with her knuckles. Hardly to her surprise she immediately heard footsteps and one of the double doors opened.  
  
“Good, I knew you’d be awake.” She ducked under his arm and went inside. “I need to talk to you. It’s extremely important.”  
  
“Why yes, by all means, come in,” he muttered rolling his eyes as the door closed.  He turned to her and asked, “What could you possibly want at this hour?”  
  
“Why to cuddle, of course!  Kidding, kidding.  Sleep, but that’s obviously not happening anytime soon. Got the trial on my mind.”  
  
“You’re in good company.” She yawned and nodded. “More like anti-hero company, but we can debate semantics later.” She sat on the edge of his bed.  “I don’t want to think about it, nor do I want to talk about it,” he replied, folding his hands behind his back as he approached the balcony adjacent to his room. She could almost see an aura of tension and anxiety radiating from him. She quickly followed behind, hoping to settle this before he lost his temper with her for pressing the issue, but the breathtaking view of Asgardian twilight from where they stood completely captivated her, pushing the conversation down on her priority list. She slowly walked up to the railing and rested her arms on it, taking in the marvelous view of the untouched natural beauty one couldn’t even dream of finding on Earth.  
  
“Holy shit,” she breathed. “And I thought the view from my bedroom was awesome. Back home I mean. Perfect view of the Manhattan skyline, which is gorgeous at night. But this? Finding something like this on Earth would be like, I dunno, finding Atlantis.”  
  
“They’re quite adept at keeping their civilization hidden,” he replied matter-of-factly. She snapped her head in his direction. “So it is real?!” she gasped. He put a finger to his lips and made a ‘shh’ sound. “Not a word.”  
  
“Not a word about what?”  
  
“Good girl."  He pointed down to the right of them. “Examine that area closely. Look familiar?” She narrowed her eyes, relying on the heightened sense of sight she was blessed with courtesy of her father to filter out layers of darkness. “That…That’s the path to Gioll. Whoa, there it is! You can see him from up here.”  
  
“Part of the reason I enjoy the view so much.”  
  
“What about when it rains? How do you keep it out?”  
  
“Reach out and touch the space in front of you.” She moved her fingers forward in mid-air until they were just inches over the railing and it created a ripple, like a stone cast into a pond. “Is that made of water? Does it absorb it?” She poked it a few times, utterly fascinated.  
  
“Exactly right. It would appear that when Sigyn died all of my magic she expended died with her, but everything I had created prior to remains. It’s also proven itself to be quite useful in terms of temperature control…I’m glad I left Midgard before your winter began.” She was unsure of how to respond; his origins rarely if ever came up in conversation and it was a very touchy subject for him, especially in the context of exile. Instead she slid closer to him and rested her head against upper arm. “I know it bothers you more than I can even begin to understand, but you do know that I don’t care right? And by that I don’t mean it’s irrelevant, but it has absolutely nothing to do with who you are. In my eyes at least. Jotunn, God –biologically-, human, what-fucking-ever…As long as you’re you, that’s all that matters to me. ‘Cause I like you, and I wanna hold on to you for as long as possible.” The arm she was leaning against worked its way around her shoulders and pulled her closer so her head was just below the dip where his neck and collarbone met. He needn’t say anything in response; she knew him well enough to know the physical intimacy, be it tame or mature, was his way of showing appreciation. She lifted her head up slightly and pointed to a distant dancing red light scattered across the night sky. “What’s that over there?”  
  
“Muspelheim. To be more specific the…shadow its flames cast, if you will. You cannot actually see the other realms from here.”  
  
“Kinda looks like the Northern Lights. Well and South Lights I suppose.”  
  
“Where do you think they come from?”  
  
“Charged particles from solar winds and the magnetosphere entering and colliding within the thermosphere? That's the word on the street anyway."

  
“We like to let you think that,” he replied with a wink. “Heh. I always wondered if those scientific explanations for natural phenomena were just cover ups for something waaaaaaay beyond human control and understanding.”  
  
“Again, not a word.”  
  
“Are you kidding me? My dad and Uncle Bruce would **freak out** and have an existential crisis! Except dad would be crying in the lab in the fetal position and Uncle Bruce would…blow it out of proportion, if ya know what I mean. Er, uh, I mean, not a word about what? You keep saying that but I have no idea what you’re talking about!” She could feel him starting to physically relax. Now might have been the opportune time to deliberate with him but she knew it would result in recreating the tension on both a physical and mental level. But it had to be done.  
  
“I know you don’t want to, and I understand why, but there is just one thing I need to ask you.” She felt him immediately tense up. “Before you snap just hear me out. It’s the final part of my argument, and I need your consent before using it. It’s more than just a defense. It’s my trump card. Weakest ones first. But I’m not gonna present this unless you’re fine with it.”  
  
“And why wouldn’t I be?”  
  
“Remember how earlier you said your memories of this place are tainted and you’ll always feel as though you’re in exile?”


	24. Tried and True

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to mention that I went back to some of the earlier chapters where Dani and Loki first started interacting because it occurred to me that I included more progression of his feelings than I did of hers. So there are some additions to scenes and dialogue; feel free to go back to their interactions before she came back to life, as they are not only alluded to but...well...you'll see! :) Chapter 4- Dani and Nick, 10- halfway through, Dani and Loki, 12- the end (post-mall scene, and brand new at that! IN FACT EVERYONE SHOULD GO BACK AND READ THAT ONE BEFORE TACKLING THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE OMG FEELS), 19- very end (a few lines were added). There is also an allusion to something I came up with while getting this chapter together in some of the older ones about how she can tell when he's lying. It's explained here, you don't need to go back to the older chapters when she first notices it. The new scene at the end of chapter 12 is touched upon here but mostly in passing.
> 
> And I just wanna thank y'all for being so patient. I went to the hospital for a few days so working on this chapter, which is already a very demanding task to begin with, had to be put on hold. I'm alright now, so no need to worry about me :) Thanks again for bearing with me :)
> 
> Courtesy of user/reader chaos we officially having a shipping mashup name for them- Danoki (which we both think sounds like some kind of dessert...THE WAIT WAS KILLING US ALL lol).

“I’m not sure if that will convince him,” Loki said skeptically from the balcony, watching a hopeless Fenrir tugging at the enchanted ribbon restraining him. Danielle curled her lips to the side quizzically. “What? Why not? It’s true. No denying that. And inevitable, whether they like it or not.” _For the love of…Why are you watching that?! You’re just making yourself even more miserable, genius._  
  
“Yes, your other arguments are strong. And that, that is a valid point,” he agreed, turning to her. “But consider it in the context of…prior events.”  
  
“Screw prior events,” she replied pounding her fists on the bed beneath her. “This isn’t about prior events. This is about the transition from them. Besides, he doesn’t have a choice. Yes, the time in between then and now would suck, but it’s like that Zen proverb. ‘The obstacle is the path’.” She sat up and folded her legs beneath her, running her fingers through her hair. “You seem like you’re feeling a lot less paranoid though.” She cracked a half smile. “Am I right?” she asked hopefully.  
  
After presenting her trump card argument Loki was initially resistant, then apprehensive, and finally questioned its efficacy for aforementioned reasons. Danielle was on his bed, slightly jealous of how much more comfortable it was than the one she was sharing with Natasha. The muscles in her upper back were sore and tight from firing the enormous Chitauri gun (though she didn’t experience any kickback it still had some kick to it) and landing on her back when she made her dive to save the cube. Hardly to her surprise it had been enchanted specifically for pain relief, a fact Loki confirmed after she made a joke about it. She had been there for well over an hour now and hoped Natasha hadn’t awoken to notice her absence. She may have had a defense prepared to spare Loki from a potential death sentence but she didn’t have even half of a believable excuse for why she wasn’t in her bedroom (more specifically, why she was in his).  
  
“Trying. Not very successful, but trying regardless.”  
  
“You’re not just agreeing to letting me use that argument because it could easily acquit you, are you? You really don’t mind?”  
  
“If I did object I would have made it apparent.”  
  
“You did at first, but then you kinda caved, hence my apprehension for presenting it.”  
  
“There’s a difference between submission and being convinced. I would know,” he reminded her.  
  
“So long as you aren’t convincing yourself out of submission to my brilliance,” she said with a grin.  
  
“You’ve made a very successful career out of confusing stubbornness for brilliance.”  
  
“Nuh uh. More like…a paid less than minimum wage, food service industry, part-time job.”  
  
“Whatever the case may be, you’re doing it right now.”  
  
“Is it really that fun to irritate me?” He merely grinned. She folded her arms over her chest. “Remind me again why I’m doing this for you?”  
  
“I haven’t the faintest idea. You still yet to find the answer to that question, if memory serves.”  
  
“That was supposed to be rhetorical.” He sat down next to her so they were facing each other. “Whatever the reason may be I’m glad you are.”  
  
“Me too. No one could do it as well me. Universally accepted, unwritten, unspoken, common knowledge.” He chuckled quietly. “Not becoming arrogant? You’re sure about that?”  
  
“Not at all,” she laughed. “But if I am, I’m blaming you. Wow, some ‘defense attorney’ I am. So, um, do you even want Asgard to come around?” she asked softly. “I’m really surprised my family, the mother fucking Avengers, have accepted it as quick as they did. Then again they did see it firsthand…” He shook his head. “I don’t know. Right now I don’t know what I want. Well, I suppose I can’t say that, as it isn’t entirely true. Not anymore.” She grabbed one of the pillows and buried her face in it to hide her red cheeks. “Shut up!” she squeaked. “I can’t stand all that sappy crappy stuff.”  
  
“This coming from the girl who, approximately forty-five minutes ago, said she wanted to hold on to me as long as possible,” he chaffed. She shook her head. “Did not!” She looked up, face scrunched in annoyance. “You were hearing things.”  
  
“I can’t imagine a better hallucination.”  
  
“Argh!” She threw her face back in the pillow. “What the fuck have I gotten myself into?” she groaned.  
  
“Another good question you’ve failed to provide a sufficient answer for,” he replied ruffling her hair. She glanced up so only her deep blue eyes, narrowed and slightly twitching were visible. “That was also rhetorical,” she growled as she swatted his hand away.  
  
“But you’re such an easy target right now, which is a very rare phenomenon, so I intend on taking advantage of it for as long as I possibly can. Can you blame me?”  
  
“So tempted to kick you off the bed.”  
  
“It’s my bed Danielle.”  
  
“…that wouldn’t stop me and you know it.” She huffed and dropped the pillow onto her lap. Her expression took a dramatic turn to sullen. “Ya know we’re just torturing ourselves right now, right?” She rested her elbows on her knees and dropped her chin into her palms. “I can endure it but…only in the middle of said torture when it doesn’t feel like torture. It feels like…the way things should be.” He nodded slowly. “I know,” he said quietly. “We should not be alone together. Especially at a time like this.”  
  
“Tell me about it. I haven’t felt this shittacular since I lost my copy of _Demian_.”  
  
“Either that book is extremely important to you or I’m worth as much bound paper.”  
  
“Well it is a literary masterpiece, if that counts for anything,” she laughed. “So let’s say for some reason or another that inevitable situation is implemented sometime soon. You gonna be ready for that?”  
  
“I won’t have a choice, will I?”  
  
“Guess not. I just…What you said about being back here, I hadn’t even considered what it might be like when I was making my ‘rough draft’. Sorry for the surprise…I know you weren’t super thrilled about it at first.”  
  
“Nor am I now,” he admitted. “But it’s the reality of the situation and I have no choice but to accept that.”  
  
“Why does it bother you so much? I can guess, but I don’t wanna assume.”  
  
“There are many reasons but the primary is, without question, the fear of failure.”  
  
“And by failure you mean…a repeat?” she asked hesitantly, trying to tread lightly on a most touchy subject. “Yes. But I’d prefer not think about that. Not right now. Or ever,” he added quickly. “The present is already difficult enough to cope with. I’d rather not let the past influence that.”  
  
She hid half her face behind the pillow again. “Right. Sorry for bringing it up.”  
  
“It’s alright. I don’t want to dwell on it, that’s all.”  
  
“I dunno if this helps or not, but before my dad was Iron Man Stark Industries manufactured weapons. When he was giving a demonstration of one of his recent developments he was kidnapped and held prisoner, and supposed to develop them for terrorists. After he broke out using the very first ‘Iron Man’ suit, he realized he could no longer manufacture them. It wasn’t until he was on the other side and saw the destruction he was causing, experiencing it for himself that he knew he had to turn things around. You’ve had your equivalent of an ‘other side’ experience, right? So that’s a start.”  
  
“I assure you I’ve learned my lesson. Because I’d rather not endure the half-conniption, half-lecture you would subject me to, of course. I would like to maintain the ability to hear.” She couldn’t help but wonder how much he serious he was.  
  
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t yell that much!” she hissed. “Though I almost did just now…That would’ve been suspicious.”  
  
“Oh not at all. I’m sure everyone would assume that I stole you away in the middle of the night to torture you relentlessly for killing Sigyn. It’s fairly apparent that I’ve been using you as a willing pawn to ensure my return to Asgard to steal the throne and Tesseract, and I needed her assistance to accomplish that. Truly a baseless concern. Sigyn was always a hindrance and a nuisance. I’d obviously enlist in your generous aid instead, my dear. You have proven yourself to be quite useful.”  
  
“You really think I’m worthy enough? I’m honored.” She put a hand on her heart feigning gratitude. _Crap, we’re doing it again._  
  
“But you are human so you would still have to kneel. You won’t be granted diplomatic immunity I’m afraid.”  
  
She smacked her forehead. “We are having way too much fun with this,” she snickered. “So much for not dwelling,” she teased.  
  
“To be fair, you started it,” he said in mock accusation. _Damn it. It’s like a reflex. Or an addiction_.  
  
“Really?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “We’re playing the blame game? Super fricken’ mature Loki.”  
  
“And since when are you the epitome of maturity?”  
  
“Since never, so I’m very skilled at recognizing a lack thereof.” She sighed. “We should probably attempt sleeping. Gonna be hard for me to keep my thoughts from getting jumbled if I’m exhausted.” She put the pillow back and though her mind kept screaming at her to stand up she instead found herself moving closer to him, leaning against his arm. _He smells like wonderfulness...Wait, what does that even mean?! This whole semi-semblance of dating thing is doing hella weird things to my head._  
  
“Are you trying to make this more difficult than it already is?” he chided. She glanced up at him. “I don’t need to try. That’s the worst part.” Her voice started to crack. “I had every intention of getting up but…I dunno, blame gravity or something.”

* * *

  
 **The Well of Urd**  
  
  
Come early morning Odin still felt conflicted, more so than the day before. He was not one of the Gods who ascribed to the belief that the prophecies of Ragnarok were metaphorical or symbolic. Had Loki not released the one destined to annihilate him he wouldn’t have to entertain the possibility of putting his son to death. Not once had the foreseers and fate weavers made an allusion to a human girl who may permanently change Loki for the better; if that were so the preordained events of Ragnarok would unravel completely. Caught between a father’s love and judge’s duty, he needed to know more about this mortal.  
  
The only ones who could confirm any suspicions he held or confusion he needed to clear up were the Norns. Though they cannot disclose sensitive information regarding the fate of Gods there is nothing keeping them from sharing that of mortals. The three sisters lived near well at the highest reaching root of Yggdrasil; their respective home was at Urdarbrunnr, or the Well of Urd, so named after the oldest. It is a common misconception amongst scholars, one of many lies fed to humans to keep them from learning the secrets of the Gods, that as separate entities they represented the past, present, and future. Rather the three work together assembling fate, marking significant events, enforcing the inevitable, and so on. As living embodiments of the very knowledge they hold they are inseparable and indistinguishable in this respect, exemplifying fate’s progression through time.  
  
Technically speaking the sisters, though considered demi-Goddesses, were truly jotunn; this is why they held no obligation to share the Gods’ fate, as they were not subject to their authority. Odin usually found himself leaving the well frustrated by their cryptic responses or refusal to answer his questions so he tried his best to choose his words carefully. When he reached the well he approached the sisters, who as per usual didn’t acknowledge his presence. Two were holding up a string, representing someone’s finite lifespan, and the third cut it, sending one more soul to the hereafter.  
  
“Is it safe to assume you already know why I am here?” he asked them. Verdandi, youngest of the three who always faced forwards and the one who had cut the string turned to him. “Of course we do. Do you know why you are here?” she asked ominously, a gleam in her eye. He had come with the intention of inquiring about Danielle but his curiosity about Ragnarok was gnawing at him as well, and though they couldn’t read his mind her presence carried obvious implications. If he came to learn about the curious being it was only natural that the Doom of Powers would be on his mind as well. Trying to push the thoughts aside he replied, “I know what it is I seek, even if my curiosity isn’t limited to that.”  
  
“You wish to know about the girl,” she confirmed. “We can only say so much.” Skuld, whose veiled face was always turned in the direction opposite of Urd herself, added, “There is little, if anything at all, I can share with you. The girl may be mortal but her path is becoming heavily intertwined with one who is not.”  
  
“Can you tell me why this girl decided to act as she did in the beginning?” He had to be vague and make sure not to mention Loki.  
  
“She knew more than she was aware that there was to know,” Urd replied monotone. She was an old and decrepit looking woman. When creating, knotting, and cutting the ropes which symbolized a lifespan she always held the end of the string meant to show the beginning, whereas Skuld would hold the other end, and Verdandi would make the necessary changes as they occurred. She was by far the most secretive and elusive of all; as time progressed the more silent she became, because though Skuld had more to hide she had less to share.  
  
“She knew of her fate, consciously?”  
  
“No. She accepted fate by not questioning whether or not she had one. Not impulse, not active thought. She merely was, and so she did. She was fully aware of what she was doing and she no doubt wondered why the compulsion was there, but she responded regardless.”  
  
“I can guess as to whose fate hers is becoming heavily intertwined with. But before it becomes too intertwined, should that be cause for concern? Her engagement, that is.” Verdandi smiled again. “Interesting word choice, Allfather. Sometimes when things become too intertwined they become one. But how would I know? I am merely seeing into the now. I know nothing of what is to be.”  
  
“Is it possible for one to stray from their path?”  
  
“A path is not linear, nor singular,” Urd explained. “If one’s path is to stray from their path to another path, then they will stray but the path remains their own. There is no limit to how many paths, directions, or ‘alternate routes’ one may take.”  
  
“Can one be forced off of their path and onto another?”  
  
“Tell me something, Allfather.” Skuld looked at him and Urd immediately turned the other way. “There is a difference between thought and action and we are not mind readers, only life writers. Why are you so concerned with one little string?” she asked, referring to the string measuring Danielle’s lifespan.  
  
“The insecurity and concern, it’s an incarnation of fear. You fear what she could do because you don’t know how she accomplished all she did, and that alone scares you. Loki will be tried today, yes?” Verdandi asked. “You will see the extent to which your fear should grow. My words may ring of that which is yet to be, but in truth it is a shadow of that which was, something only to be found in the now.” The youngest smiled once more. She was without a doubt the most annoying of the three.  
  
“…she will go at any length to protect him,” he deduced. “I don’t understand her reasoning though, as she knows what he is. What’s he done. Regardless of her fate, it must have occurred to her that she is taking a great risk.”  
  
“That ‘Loki’ no longer exists. Sigyn is not the only deity she destroyed. What reason would she have to protect someone like that? And what reason would you have to fear him as he is now? Is it perhaps because the destructive Loki supported a comfortable thought? And this girl, this mortal who appeared from nowhere, may challenge that comfortable thought of yours?”  
  
“Verdandi, silence!” Skuld scolded. “You have said enough.”  
  
“You speak of Ragnarok,” he thought aloud. “You were the ones who prophesized the precursors, the battles themselves, making an exception to share our fates with us for Ragnarok alone, and now you’re telling me that you lied about them?”  
  
“The humans were not the only ones who needed to be placated with stories,” Skuld replied with a sigh, still glaring at the youngest. She wanted nothing more than for the questions to cease. “Had we shared the truth you would have known about the Savior of Asgard long ago. And that we could not allow. Things could have become compromised. What Ragnarok will truly be…Well, you’ll see when it happens.”

* * *

  
 **Asgardian Palace**  
  
  
Danielle groaned as a bright light hit her closed eyelids. She scrunched them tightly and rolled over. _Morning? I don’t even remember coming back…_ She opened her eyes and quickly jolted upright, looking around frantically. She sighed in relief when she saw she was back in her room. _Must’ve been too tired to remember coming back…How come I’m the only one in here?_ She stretched her arms and yawned, rubbing her eyes and she scanned the room for signs of Natasha or clues to where she might be. Her side of the bed had been folded neatly back in place and the garb lent to the Midgardian heroes was hanging off the side, meaning the attire they came with had been repaired. She had changed and gone elsewhere.  
  
She noticed a small note on Natasha’s pillow address to her. She opened it and read it aloud. “‘доброе утро. I tried to wake you earlier but you were out like a light. I decided to let you sleep in- you earned it! Your clothes were fixed and left in the armoire. See you when you’re awake. Love, Тётя Таша.’ Yay, I get my hoodie back!” She kicked off the blankets and shuffled over to the enormous armoire. She pulled out her clothes and slipped out of the nightwear, carelessly tossing it back onto the bed before getting dressed. As she pulled her hair out from beneath the hoodie and put it up in a ponytail there was a knock on her door. “Not naked or masturbating. I mean, it’s unlocked!” She giggled quietly as Bruce opened the door.  
  
“Well aren’t we feeling classy today?” he remarked at her comment. “You picked the perfect time to wake up, too. Since you slept in so late you missed breakfast but-”  
  
“I smell food!” she exclaimed as he stepped in with a tray full of Asgardian delicacies for her. “Thanks. So,” she began as she approached him and grabbed the tray, setting it down on the bedside table. “How’s my dad?”  
  
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Not any better, but not any worse. He’s stable, if that’s what you’re concerned about. We still haven’t figured out what caused all of this but we will, no need to worry about that.” She grinned. “Well duh, you guys are the Science Bros. Do you think his condition, even if it’s not too serious, will mean that we’ll have to head back anytime soon?”  
  
“Possibly.” He raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask Dani? Planning on staying?” She twirled her bangs nervously. “Just keep me posted on the situation, OK?” He folded his arms over his chest. “Care to try that again?” She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Look, I can’t talk about it. But I need to stay for something.”  
  
“Loki’s trial? You want to stay for the verdict?”  
  
 _So it is today._ “More or less.” _And to influence it._  
  
“Your parents will be thrilled to hear that. Honestly Dani, staying here is making me…tense.” He shifted uncomfortably. “And as much as I’d love to go home, if something were to happen to Tony we would need a scientist around to keep an eye on him. I’m convinced it’s the arc reactor.”  
  
“Then you guys go without me. I’m staying until the trial is over, and that’s that,” she said firmly.  
  
“I’m not going to be your messenger,” he replied and nodded towards the door. “Go tell them.” She exhaled deeply. “Alright, alright, I’ll go tell them now.” _The last time I had to tell my parents something about Loki I was kidnapped, tortured, and died. I certainly hope this doesn’t become a trend._ Hands in her pockets, she shuffled slowly behind Bruce as the two went to the room Steve and Tony were sharing. He caught a glimpse of the frustration in her deep blue eyes and patted her on the back. “Everything is going to work itself in the end, one way or another,” he said trying to reassure her. She nodded slowly. “Yeah, yeah, I’m sure it will. There’s just so much going on at once.” She knocked on the door with her knuckles.  
  
“You do have a bad habit of taking on other people’s problems you know,” he reminded her as he returned to his room. “Maybe you should try and lighten the burden a little. Trust me when I say that if you lessen your stress load, you probably should. I’m the resident expert, if you will.”  
  
 _How? I’m not skipping out on that trial. Not if his life is possibly on the line. We didn’t meet so I could die, and we didn’t meet so he could die. We met because…we were already dead inside, both of us. Loneliness is a long, slow, miserable death._ She knocked again.  
  
“Not naked or masturbating!” Tony joked from the other side as Steve opened the door, shaking his head. “If that isn’t uncanny I don’t know what is,” she muttered as she stepped in. “Morning parental units.” She gave her father a hug. “Uncle Bruce told me nothing’s really changed?” She looked back and forth between the two of them. Tony was laying down on the bed, which was tangled mess of sheets hardly to Danielle’s surprise. He nodded and she sat down next to him. “You don’t look terrible. But you don’t look fantastic either.” She put the back of her hand on his forehead. “Hm, no fever…” Tony laughed and propped himself up with his elbows as Steve sat next to him on the other side of the bed.  
  
“I’m not feverish, nauseous, delirious, but I am a little sleep deprived. That’s a different story though.”  
  
“So you can’t be feeling _that_ weak,” Danielle joked. Steve hung his head. “What is wrong with you two?” he muttered. “Oh where to start,” his daughter replied with a grin when something caught her attention via her peripheral vision. “Dad, don’t move,” she commanded and peered closer at the arc reactor. “Oh hell,” she gasped. “Look right there. Right on the edge. It’s chipped. It couldn’t come loose could it? Nothing could get lodged in there?” Tony looked down at his chest and examined the spot she was pointing at. “Huh. Well fancy that. No, that’s not concerning. If it starts to flicker then we’ll talk emergency surgery. It gets nicked and scratched all the time.”  
  
“There’s a difference between a scratch and a chip,” Steve replied, urging Tony to lay back down. “I’m fine,” he insisted. “I had palladium poisoning once. This thing isn’t going to fall apart. As long as I take it easy until we get home I’ll be fine.”  
  
“About that,” she began with a nervous gulp. “When were you planning on leaving?”  
  
“The sooner the better. Why?” Steve asked with a sneaking suspicion that he wouldn’t like the answer. She bit her lip. “Um, well, I want to stay until the trial is over…I want to know the verdict...‘Cause he could be put to death.” They both blinked in surprise and exchanged nervous looks. “That’s…news,” Tony replied, unsure of what else to say. “After everything he did? How he helped us, helped you?” Steve added. She nodded slowly. “Yeah. I’m just one person, so that isn’t gonna mean much to the Asgardian courts I’m sure. I can’t leave without knowing how it ends because…I don’t just wanna wish him good luck and see him off, only to learn some stupidly stupid long amount of time later that he was sentenced to death. That’s not happening.” She shook her head. “No. I refuse to leave until it’s over. Go ahead without me if you have to, ‘cause I’m staying. And no amount of lecturing, reason, or common sense can stop me.” She gripped the bed sheets tightly, her breath becoming shaky.  
  
 _I know that look_ , Tony thought nervously. “Whoa there Dani, breath. What’s going on?”  
  
“It’s nothing,” she said shaking her head again as she started to sweat. Tony sat up straight. “Nothing huh? Then I’d hate to see what something is. What’s going on in that weird little head of yours?”  
  
She started to stutter. “I, um, I didn’t get much sleep ‘cause I kept having a, a nightmare, a graphic one. It, it was so graphic, and I, I, um, I can’t get it out, I can’t get it out of my head. I just can’t.” She covered her face with her palms. “I dreamt that he did, did, he did die, and Odin forced me, he forced me to watch and it was like, was like something out of, like a fucking horror movie. It was so terrible. It was so, so terrible.” She started to tremble. Tony looked over at Steve as he pulled her in for a tight hug.  
  
‘Trauma?’ he mouthed out, alluding to the possibility of the entire experience resulting in some sort of depression or PTSD. She had been held prisoner and tortured and now she was having graphic nightmares about someone she cared about being tortured and killed. He slowly nodded and began questioning whether or not letting her stay in Asgard much longer was in her best interest, but it would take the strength of Thor, the Hulk, and himself combined to drag her back to Midgard kicking and screaming all the way. Once again her undying compassionate streak had created trouble for her, but it had never been this serious before considering the potentiality for permanency of mental scarring.  
  
Danielle did her best not to cry but the image played over and over again in her head like a broken record. She hadn’t even realized she was crying until she could barely breathe. As he hugged her tightly Tony shot Steve a confused look who shrugged, face plagued with overwhelming concern. He moved closer and starting rubbing her back. They were completely clueless as to how to handle the situation. They both knew there was nothing they could do or say not only because they had experienced similar situations themselves, but because there was only one thing that could avert her state worsening and that was for Loki to live. When that would be determined was unknown. The consequences of the converse could create a completely different ‘Danielle’.  
  
 _Why couldn’t she have said yes to the human boys that asked her out a few times?_ Tony wondered as he could feel her start to calm down. She wiped her eyes with her sleeves. “Sorry,” she mumbled pathetically. “I don’t know where that came from.”  
  
“You have absolutely **nothing** to apologize for,” Steve replied softly and reassuringly. “Dani, I’m going to ask you something you’ve been barraged with countless times now. But look me in the eye and give me an answer.” With a hiccup she looked up at her father. “Are you in love with him?” She quickly shook her head. “No, no, I’m not. Not yet, anyway.”  
  
“And this…reciprocates?” he asked hesitantly. She shrugged. “I don’t know. But he did say he’d die for me, so that’s gotta count for something.” He exhaled deeply. “Oh boy. Do we need to have ‘the talk’?”  
  
“Of course not!” she exclaimed. “I’ve learned plenty just from overhearing you guys. I have internet access. And the rest I’ll learn along the way.”  
  
“That’s my girl,” Tony said proudly patting her on the head, attempting to insert some comic relief in the situation. “So when you say ‘not yet’, what do you mean by that?”  
  
“We talked about this thing between us, and he said that he refused for it to go any further until I’m older. Not just in terms of age but done with school, all that grown up shit. And it’s difficult for both of us, because we keep having to suppress it all. I honestly don’t know the extent of my feelings for him because of that.”  
  
“He said that?” Steve asked surprised, still rubbing her back. “That’s not something I would expect-”  
  
“Knock it off with the anti-Loki rhetoric!” she spat, folding her arms over her chest. “Or I’ll break your ribs again. With resolve.”  
  
“That’s not what I meant.” He shook his head. “He was concerned when he learned you were kidnapped, angry even, which surprised all of us. He just said he owed you a debt. But it sounds like he really has your best interest at heart.”  
  
“Just like I do for him,” she said with a sniffle.  
  
“At some point you two will have to separate,” Tony pointed out. “You can’t up and move to Asgard if he lives through this.” She nodded. “I know. That’s why I can’t leave now. That’s why I need to be there for this. He’s come so fucking far from almost three months ago when I first met him. It was tense and awkward to say the least but it wasn’t long before I was spending a lot of my free time with him, even changing my schedule to have more of it. And I realized that even though he was the cause of all the drama and nonsense that was going on with the family and S.H.I.E.L.D. he was the only person I could talk to about it. Which was refreshing. Novel. And I do enjoy novel experiences.” _Like our stupid Demian quoting inside joke._ She couldn’t help but grin a little at her pun, as well as the memories.  
  
“How about we make a compromise?” Steve suggested looking back and forth between them. “What did you have in mind?” Tony asked, whereas Danielle simply nodded.  
  
“Best case scenario, we all stay. If your condition worsens you, Bruce, and Natasha will go back. Clint, Thor, and myself will stay here so at least one of her parents remains and we have the resident Asgard expert.”  
  
“Why does Natasha go back?” Steve paled. _No one else knows about her and Pepper! Nice going, Captain Rogers_. “Well, you see…” He continued to mentally scold himself as he searched for the words to weave a plausible white lie.  
  
“Does it matter why she goes? It sounds like an okay plan to me,” the adolescent mumbled.  
  
Unable to come up with an alternative Tony shrugged. “I suppose I’m okay with it. But…what if the worst case scenario happens?” The inventor shot a quick glance at his daughter to read her facial expression for any signs of distress bubbling to the surface again. But she was unreadable, blue eyes devoid of all emotion. “If that happens,” she said monotone, “then we deal with it when it happens. But it’s not going to happen. Not if I have anything to say about it.”  
  
“I don’t think you have any say in the matter kiddo.”  
  
“That’s fine dad.” She rose. “You don’t have to think that. I’m not very concerned with what people think right now.” She rubbed her puffy red eyes again. “Where is everyone else?”  
  
“Natasha challenged Sif to a one-on-one. Assassin versus warrior Goddess. They’ve been going at it for at least three hours now. Clint is, naturally, making bets with the Warriors Three,” her father replied with a bit of a laugh. “I’m not sure where Thor is but if I had to guess, he’s with his brother. He’s experiencing a great deal of stress and probably even fear right now, I’m sure.” The teenager nodded. “Yeah, he probably is. If that’s the case I should make myself available, just in case he needs me. Take it easy dad. See ya later.” She gave a half-hearted wave and left the bedroom. Both sat in silence for a moment.  
  
“What the fuck is going on?” Tony suddenly exclaimed. “Her pursuit is one thing, but his response to it is a completely different story. He went out of his way for her, I’ll give him that. But words can’t even begin to describe how cautious and downright paranoid this is making me.”  
  
“Coming from the man who sarcastically wished me luck in stopping her?”  
  
“Stopping her isn’t the same as discouraging the both of them. Yes, he’s changed, yippie. And he has a sliver of respect from me for insisting they wait because of her age, but, mother of God…”  
  
“I’m not comfortable with it. But you heard what she said about how he was the only one she felt she could talk to despite the fact that his presence was the cause for everyone’s concern. And that helped. **His** company helped **her**. She probably even turned to him when you and I were fighting more and it began to take a toll on her.  She’s not stupid, even if she can be a little rash. She knew she could have been putting herself in danger but she did it anyway because she saw something no one else did. The person he used to be, I suppose, which would explain why she sees the situation the same as Thor. And she used to isolate from the rest of the world but the side of her we always saw, she’s showing it to others too. He broke her shell or inspired her to break it, I don’t know. He helped her as well, even if he wasn’t trying. I know he almost enslaved humanity. But to be fair…anyone would go a little insane after being married to Sigyn.”  
  
“His ex-wife’s antics justify-?! I’ve used exes and one-night stands as excuses before. If I argue that one I'll be an even greater hypocrite than the Senate as a whole. OK, so we’re all starting to awkwardly accept that Loki has is getting his shit together, but that doesn’t mean he gets my kid.”  
  
“If they do wait until she’s an adult that’s beyond our control, whether we like it or not.”  
  
“No. Hell no. She’s going my little girl forever,” Tony whined like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum, throwing himself back onto the bed. Steve raised an eyebrow. “Is someone having that paternal fear of being replaced?”  
  
“Yeah, by Loki of all people! That’s a little insulting.” Steve sighed and clasped his hands together. “He’s changed and you know it. I know it. We all know it. Now he has to prove it to their penal system. And Dani is adamant on being there for him, to support him throughout it, to- Oh good Lord, you don’t think she would interrupt it do you?” Tony’s eyes widened and he quickly sat up. “To go play Ally McBeal? Oh fuck. That’s…I don’t even know what the consequences could be for that.”  
  
“Do we ask her?” the blond asked nervously.  
  
“And possibly plant the idea in her head?” Tony replied as if Steve were insane. “I think I’m just going to lie back down now…” Steve sucked in his breath and exhaled deeply. “Well this just turned into a royal mess…”

* * *

  
 **Danielle’s Room**  
  
  
As she finished eating the food which had gone cold the door swung open and Danielle jumped, almost choking on the bite she had just swallowed. Aside from her imprisonment she couldn’t think of a time she was more relieved to see Loki.  
  
“There you are. For someone so loud you can be rather difficult to loca-…You’re looking very ladylike.” She looked at the doorway, mouth full, and asked, “Wha’sat shuppoz’tah-” She swallowed and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I mean, what’s that supposed to mean? When it comes to being ladylike I am without a doubt the ultimate.”  
  
“If you say so.” She flung herself backwards onto the bed, arms folded beneath her head. “So before you tell me why you were looking for me, care to tell me why I don’t remember coming back to my room last night?”  
  
“The bed almost put you to sleep. I’m surprised you were able to walk.”  
  
“And I managed to come back without catching attention? I don’t sleepwalk, I sleepstealth!” She rolled over onto her stomach, kicking her legs in the air behind her. She ushered him over with a wave of her hand and then used her knees and elbows the pull herself to the edge of the bed as he sat down. “What’s up?” she asked softly, arms folded underneath her chin.  
  
“I was just wondering where you were, that’s all.”  
  
“Because you’re starting to get panicky again?”  
  
“What do you think?” he asked, eyes slightly narrowed in frustration.  
  
“I think you’re definitely starting to get panicky again.”  
  
“What an astute observation.”  
  
“Don’t take out your crabbiness on me.” _He probably can’t help it. Anyone in his presence would be a target right now._ She sat up, carelessly dangling her legs off the edge.  
  
“I apologize, but as you can clearly see I’m very on edge right now. I could think of no other way to alleviate some of that than being in your company. The wait is **unbearable**. The last time I felt this anxious…” He rested his elbows on his legs and rubbed his palms together restlessly. “The last time I felt this anxious would have been the seconds in between demanding to know why I was taken from Jotunnheim and having my question answered.” He gulped. “I barely slept after you left, and when I did I kept having the same nightmare, one I haven’t had in a very long time. Falling into that abyss beneath the broken Bifrost. And every time I awoke I thought you would be there, right by my side just as you always have been…Perhaps it was just wishful thinking on my part. Or perhaps I’m just conditioned by this point.”  
  
 _Nightmares huh? We have SO much in common. Maybe we should date!_ she mentally joked to herself as she rubbed his back soothingly. “I’m here now, if it makes a difference.”  
  
Glancing over at her he replied, “It makes all the difference.” He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, and then much to her surprise chuckled quietly. “Seventeen years ago I never would have guessed my life would be in the hands of a human,” he muttered cynically.  
  
“Seventeen years ago my parents probably never thought their future kid would get kidnapped, die, come back to life, and somewhere in between all the banter and bullshit kinda sorta absolutely start falling for the dude that almost enslaved all of humanity. At least I don’t think they would. But this much I do know. I **will** be there whether Odin likes it or not, I **will** testify on your behalf and if they think they stand a chance at shutting me up they better think twice, and I **will** verbally eviscerate, decimate, maul, massacre, obliterate, and annihilate them. And I intend to deliver in full.” He shook his head. “I question your sanity. Despite everything you know, and everything you don’t know which I can only hope you will never learn, you’re still going through with this.”  
  
“Of course I am. I’m in way too deep to stop now, sweetheart. Not that I would even consider it, if the possibility existed which I’m pretty sure it doesn’t. We all have our vices, Loki. Mine happens to be a recalcitrant, silver-tongued, unbelievably adorable -to the point where it’s overwhelming- lil’ trouble maker who needs to give himself far more credit than he currently does, if any at all.” She offered a warm smile.  
  
“And mine is a parasite,” he huffed and then grinned at her.  
  
“Just a parasite?!” she barked. “After everything I said you can’t throw in anything more than that?!”  
  
“A very loud parasite. Better?”  
  
“…that’s probably the best I’ll get outta you, so I’ll take it,” she grumbled and shot him a playful glare, a slight grin tugging at her lips. “Jackass.” _He seems a little more relaxed. A little…Better than not at all though, I guess._  
  
“If you’re going to put up such a fuss about it, then my vice is a very beautiful but very loud parasite. Satisfied?” He put a hand on the back of her head and gently pulled her towards him, kissing her softly on the forehead.  
  
“I guess,” she replied with a fake groan when she suddenly felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. _That kiss on the cheek was harmless, almost a joke just to catch him off guard. But he…he just…Shit, we’re doing it again._ Despite her mental protest she couldn’t help but blush, a small smile creeping across her lips. “There is just no pleasing you, is there?” he chaffed.  
  
 _Loki, you’re driving me crazy. And I want to complain but…Damn it all! Fucking feelings! Subject change asap._ “So, question about the whole ‘getting your power back’ thing. Will it happen on its own, or does Odin have to make it happen?”  
  
“I can’t say for certain, but this much I do know.” He looked down at his palm, another faint emerald aura surrounding it. “Magic is very much like a feral creature. It must be tamed to be utilized, and it does not like to be caged for very long. It’s a shame really, not being able to use it now. What I wouldn’t give to cast a silencing spell over that loud mouth of yours…” He tapped her on the lips and gave a wistful sigh. Her jaw dropped. “Really? If you had it all back right now that’s the first thing you would do? You’re the worst.”  
  
“Believe it or not you aren’t the first person to tell me that.”  
  
“Doubt I’ll be the last,” she replied deadpan. “I need to have my plan of attack ready. Location, timing, all that fun shit.”  
  
“Glitnir. Forseti’s hall. It’s not far from the palace and unlike every other damned building here it’s silver and red, not gold. Easy to find. As far as timing…The sooner you can get there, the better. Odin may be the presiding judge but he only determines the punishment. Forseti is like a juror, and determines whether one is guilty or innocent. Odin does have the authority to override his decision but he rarely does. He will be the one to assess my time in Midgard, which was unfortunately quite brief. I’m sure Sigyn was responsible for that as well.” He said her name in a venomous growl. “You’ll have to convince them both.”  
  
“You sound really pissed all of a sudden…And not just because of mentioning that crazy bitch…” she said slowly. For a split second she saw the Loki who had terrified her as a child. “Forseti is Baldr’s son.” She almost jumped at his tone as her eyes widened. “Ohhhhhh shit. OK. OK, I get it. Oh boy, that’s definitely a challenge.”  
  
“Now you fully understand my unwavering tension.” She nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I do. That doesn’t change anything. Still coming to crash the party.”  
  
“I heard that Thor has been banned from attendance for that very reason. They are concerned he may interfere.”  
  
“Not surprised.”  
  
“How exactly do you intend on getting in to Glitnir?”  
  
“Dunno,” she shrugged. “I know nothing about the layout, how heavily it’ll be guarded, all those details. I’ll figure it out when I get there. After I decimate the penal system what are you gonna do? Rather if you had your way, what would you do?”  
  
“I think you already know the answer to that question.”  
  
“Maybe I just want to hear it.” She dropped her hands onto her lap.  
  
“Quite the masochist, aren’t you?” he teased, straightening his posture. The arm on the back of her head quickly slid down to her lower back and he pulled her closer to him. His other hand rested atop hers, and like instinct his fingers found themselves woven between hers. _A perfect fit_ , he thought to himself. _Perhaps these hands were meant for me to hold._  
  
“Looks like I’m not the only one,” she replied, her head resting against his shoulder, her free hand resting on his chest.  
  
“I can’t say it enough. You’ve been a terrible influence on me.” She locked eyes with him, raising an eyebrow. “ **I** have been a terrible influence on **you**?”  
  
“I’ll take that as your confession. As for your question, when this is over I’m sure I’ll be forced to remain here where I can be monitored for an indefinite period of time. And when that ceases I will come to Midgard, and I will find you.” He leaned closer and added in a low baritone whisper, “There isn’t a damned thing in this universe that’s going to keep me from you. That much I can promise you.” His lips were only centimeters from her own.  
  
She tried to ignore his smooth tone as her heart rate slowly began to rise. _We’re terrible at this ‘let’s not be affectionate and close’ thing. And it’s difficult to complain about that…But he was the one who insisted on waiting until I’m older! Damn it all Loki, make up your fricken’ mind. But I’m not moving away. I’m a hypocrite._ “Your conviction echoes confidence in how this is going to play out. I’m relieved to hear that, considering how worked up and tense this has made you.” _How does that old song go? ‘I like boys with strong convictions and convicts with perfect diction’. Yeah, that’s him summed up in one line._ She shook her head. “Loki, we really need to stop doing this. We keep saying that too, as if we need to constantly remind ourselves.” She felt her throat tighten.  
  
“We all have our vices,” he reminded half-jokingly.  
  
She pressed her fingertips to his lips to create some distance between them. “Yours is also impatience, it would seem. Not that I can blame you after being stuck with that histrionic bitch and absolute deprivation of emotional intimacy for far too long and …” The image of her nightmare briefly flashed through her mind. She shook the thought away and took a deep breath. Before he could ask she bit her lip and said softly, “You’re not the only one who’s been plagued with nightmares.”  
  
“What’s troubling you dear?” he asked kissing her fingertips. The point of putting her hand between them was to create distance, to keep things from progressing, but she couldn’t bring herself to pull away when her plan backfire. “I had an extremely graphic dream of me fucking up and you being executed…And Odin forced me to watch, including the torture that preceded it. I cried on my dad for like fifteen minutes, and I really hope I don’t agai- That’s a tear on my cheek. Shit. I hate crying.” She pulled her fingers away from his lips and wiped the lone tear away.  
  
“Not only do you insist on burdening yourself with the problems of others, but you don’t even give yourself the chance to address your own,” he replied concerned. “Let it fester and…I speak from experience when I say that’s ill-advised.”  
  
“I know, I know. You’re not the first person to scold me for that today either.” She kept furiously rubbing her eyes.  
  
“I can’t say I’m surprised. Would you stop that already?” He took her hand so she would stop trying to hold back her tears. “And you say **I** am the one in need of a break.” She avoided eye contact, instead resting her forehead against the cool metal of his armor, both hands against his chest. She hung her head and let gravity take care of the rest of the streams of tears.  
  
“Danielle, I can guarantee you that I won’t be put to death. Do you want to know why I’m so certain of that?” She sniffled. “Yeah,” she mumbled pathetically.  
  
“There’s only one thing in this universe that could be the death of me. And that’s you. First of all I experience the occassional bout of insanity because of you, for better and for worse.  And all the trouble you cause and manage to drag me into, you will no doubt be the death of me,” he replied with a slight grin, hoping the joke would soothe her nerves. “That’s not to say I mind, of course. I’ve grown bored of causing trouble by myself. I like the idea of having a partner in crime. Pun certainly not intended…maybe.”  
  
Her fingers curled as her muscles start to relax except for her racing heart. _He’s certainly no fairy tale prince, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s just…mine. Almost. This is the first time I’ve been the vulnerable one. Never saw that coming. Then again I didn’t anticipate that I’d fall for the meanie face that almost enslaved Midgard. I have weird taste in guys._ She shook her head and looked up, still refusing eye contact as she established a cadence between speaking and crying. She relaxed her fingers but they remained attached to him. “I guess.” Slowly her breathing returned to normal aside from the occasional sniffle and hiccup. For the first time in her life she didn’t mind someone seeing her cry.  
  
 _I did insist on waiting_ , he thought to himself feeling a twinge of guilt. _She’s right about the deprivation though. But it’s hard to resist someone who offers the security that it provides so willingly. Especially someone as intelligent, diligent, selfless, and beautiful as her_.  
  
She looked up at him. “Are you getting panicky again?” she asked sounding slightly concerned, head cocked to the side. He shook his head. “No. What gave you that impression?”  
  
“I can hear your heartbeat through your armor and it’s pretty fuckin’ fast.”  
  
“That’s…that’s the normal resting heat rate of jot-”  
  
“Oh don’t even,” she scolded pressing a finger against his chest. “Your left eye just twitched. That happens everytime- Mmph!” He quickly covered her mouth and shook his head. “Not a word,” he breathed. “Heimdall could be listening. That’s the observation you kept commenting on, isn’t it?” She nodded as he removed his hands. “Yeah. I noticed it pretty quickly.”  
  
“If you say a word to anyone about it I’ll-” She smirked and folded her arms over her chest, making him stop. “You can’t do a damn thing to me and you know it. You wouldn’t do anything to me. And I hold this oh so wonderful blackmail over you now...” He sighed. “Fine, what do you want?”  
  
“Two things. Some time to sleep before the trial. Tell Thor to wake me up when the show begins so I can get there as soon as possible. Second, a hug. I want you to hug me as if it’s the last time you’re ever gonna see me.” She stuck out her pinkie, then took his and locked them together. “Midgardian way of showing that you’ll keep a promise. Those are my terms.”  
  
“Reasonable enough I suppose.”  
  
“You suppose? You _suppose_?  Jeez, then I guess-”  
  
“Shut up you loquacious brat,” he demanded before quickly pulling her against him for the embrace she requested. Even if she hadn’t she still would have received it.

* * *

  
 **Danielle’s Room, Two Hours Later**  
  
  
Danielle felt something shaking her shoulder. “Go away father…” she muttered in a sleepy voice, curling up tightly against the pillow she was holding. “I don’t wanna go on a twenty mile run this morning…”  
  
“Danielle, wake up,” she heard a deep voice urge. She sat up slowly and saw Thor standing above her. She rubbed her sleepy eyes as she rose. “Oh, hey. Is it trial time?”  
  
He nodded. “Loki needn’t say a word. I already know what it is you are planning, little one. I have known for a very long time that you were interacting with him on Midgard. I could feel his magic on you. Loki comes to Midgard for the rest of his trial, and you are suddenly radiating that unmistakable aura; I remembered my father had placed his magic in Sigyn’s care so you must have been around her without realizing it, which was highly suspicious. And then you asked me his story after it was announced he was here. Since you were a child you have hated my telling of any stories involving him because they broke your heart. You would have no other reason to ask for the truth unless you needed the information for something. Something as curious as Sigyn’s presence. I still remember what you said about his insecurities. He has told me about the times you lectured him.” He paused. “I’m glad it was you. Someone who is genuinely concerned for him, not trying to take advantage of him.”  
  
She shrugged. “It’s just what I do I guess.”  
  
“Thank you for bringing my brother back. Or rather, opening that door for him. Now, you must hurry to Glitnir. Do you remember the path to Gioll?” She nodded quickly, zipping up her hoodie. “Near the beginning of the path there is another to the right of it. Do you remember that?” She nodded again. “Take that path until you reach a forked road, and go down the left trail. How do you plan to enter?”  
  
“Barging in,” she said coolly. “I had assumed that would be your approach. Should you encounter any hindrances along the way-”  
  
“I’ll be fine. I need to get going. Thanks Un- Guess I can’t call you ‘Uncle Thor’ anymore, can I?”  
  
“Why not? The two of you have yet to wed.”  
  
Her face became bright red as she replied in one breath, “OK, yeah, I guess, um, I gotta go now, OK, bye!” and broke into a mad sprint, repeating Thor’s directions over and over again in her head like a mantra or prayer. She could hear Fenrir’s somber howls as she passed the path to the area of his captivity; she assumed he had caught her scent and was no doubt incredibly lonely in the confines of the wooded area.  
  
 _I promised I’d see you again_ , she thought to herself as the red and silver building came into view. It was still far away from her but her heightened sense of sight courtesy of the serum coursing through her veins made it quite visible, despite the distance. It also gave her just enough stamina to keep running until she reached the building.  _But I gotta go make sure your dad doesn’t die first, you big fluff ball of a cuddle machine._  
  
Back in the castle Steve and Tony watched their daughter run along the eroded path until she was out of sight (though Steve could detect faint silver glimmers from Forseti’s hall). Thor stood beside them as Natasha, the victor of her sparring session with the Goddess whose respect she earned in abundance as a result was resting and Clint kept Bruce company in the event that he need to be sedated, but also for the sake of spending time together. Neither were interested in waiting for Danielle’s return, Clint because of concern that she was in far over her head and still suspicious of Loki’s intentions and Bruce for the reasons he had shared with her earlier. But they had been outnumbered in the group vote after Steve presented his suggestion.  
  
“Tell it to me straight big guy. What is she up against?”  
  
“My father and my nephew…Loki killed his father,” he replied grimly. “It is not something we speak of in polite company, but I’m sure he has warned her so she may be prepared.” Tony nodded. “Great. That’s just great. And if she gets in trouble for interrupting?”  
  
“After being given the title Savior of Asgard she holds a degree of diplomatic immunity. And I of course would come to her defense if there was any discussion of punishment.” He shook his head. “No one should be punished for trying to save the life of a fallen man who has accepted his errs and intends to take responsibility for them. I don’t think Danielle understands exactly how much she has changed him.”  
  
“No wonder she doesn’t believe in coincidences,” Steve said folding his arms across his chest. “Her first word was Asgard.”

* * *

  
 **Glitnir**  
  
  
It didn’t take Danielle long to reach the red and silver hall. As she reached the very top of the steps she put her hands on her knees, leaning against an enormous pillar. She coughed a little and wiped the sweat off her forehead. She could already hear a buzz of voices from within. “Shit,” she growled. “Did it already start? Heimdall was probably playing a part in this, the friggin’ voyeur.” She angrily slammed a fist into the pillar, leaving a sizable indent before making her way to the front doors. Two guards stood before them, and as soon as they saw her approach they took an offensive stance. She narrowed her eyes and glanced back and forth at both of them. “You really don’t wanna fuck with me right now,” she warned.  
  
“No one else is allowed inside,” one of them said to her fiercely.  
  
“Standing in my way is ill-advised, so I suggest you stand down,” she replied coolly. She approached the one who spoke to her and mustered up the strength the SSS granted her. With a flick of her fingers the shield he was holding completely cracked down the center and then shattered. “Before I knock you down. Hold me up any longer and your skull’s the next thing I’m gonna crack.” He exchanged a nervous glance with his fellow guard and they parted for her. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” she asked with a sweet smile before swinging both of the doors open, letting them slam behind her. The loud sound immediately hushed the entire hall.  
  
The inside resembled an arena of sorts, with the trial’s spectators lining the circular interior in silver seats with red velvet padding. The entire décor followed the same color scheme; even the floor had a diagonally alternating red and silver tile pattern. It was almost the distance of a football field to accommodate for the large audience, with Odin and Forseti seated at the farthest end of the hall. Frigga sat on a much smaller seat near her husband’s side; she had no role in the justice system but she was still the queen and as such held a special seat of her own. Loki stood before them, his hands cuffed behind his back. Danielle was surprised he wasn’t muzzled but figured that considering the circumstances he knew better. As soon as the doors closed as all heads turned in her direction. She stomped her way to the very end in Odin’s direction. A low hum erupted as the enormous audience began to murmur, and she could feel eyes of both curiosity and contempt on her.  
  
 _She came. This is going to be interesting._ “To what do I owe the pleasure, Savior of Asgard?” he asked sarcastically. Her pace quickened, footsteps echoing throughout the large hall. “Did you come to witness the trial? You’re just in time.”  
  
“Bitch please, of course I came,” she spat, rolling her eyes. She neared the end, breathing heavily as she stared the pantheon leader down and added, “The party don’t Stark ‘til I walk in. Besides, I think you knew I would come.” She stopped at Loki’s side, arms folded over her chest. An immense wave of relief washed over him at the sight of her but he was confused by her accusation.  
  
“Oh? And what makes you say that?”  
  
“Thor was banned from being here because you were afraid that he would jump in right, just like I am? I wasn’t banned. As it stands I’m pretty sure me and him are the only ones who would try something like this so you left the door wide open for me. Dangling the bait, am I right? And I do have firsthand knowledge that though the Norns can’t tell you anything revolving your own fates they made an exception for Ragnarok. And they seem to be…unraveling. I mean, I fucking tamed Fenrir! Or perhaps they were never even true to begin with, a fact that you’ve been forced to accept the second I showed up and saved this place.” She bent her arms and rolled her shoulders. “Oops? Also, early this morning in the midst of an insomniac attack I saw you leave and head to this gargantuan root which I could only assume to be the root of Yggdrasil where the Norns set up camp, right? Now why would you go to them if they can’t tell you anything about you or any other God? Oh, right, because there’s the me factor and I’m not a deity, and you wanna know what the fuck is going on so you went to them for answers about what the shit my presence indicated.”  
  
“When did you witness that?” Odin asked shocked and defensively. She grinned. “And that right there is a verbal cue you’re lying or hiding something. No denial of the act, rather distancing yourself from the situation itself. I did learn that stuff from the best.” She winked at Loki. “And even if I hadn’t seen any of that I still would’ve come.”  
  
“Dedication to a lost cause. I thought you to be more intelligent than that,” he replied mockingly. Out of the corner of her eye Danielle saw Loki’s face flush with frustration. “Are you surprised I’m here?!” she asked emphatically, throwing her arms up in the air, almost smacking Loki in the face. “I go where I’m needed.”  
  
Forseti opened his mouth to protest but Odin put up a hand to silence him. “Peace, Forseti. She may not have permission to be here but…let her carry out this ridiculous objective of hers. If she so confidently believes she can challenge the Asgardian courts then I would like to see what exactly she has prepared to do so.”  
  
“Why would you defend the one who tried to enslave your planet, your people?” Forseti asked, holding up a piece of aged parchment listing the charges against Loki. It was more sizable than she had anticipated.  
  
 _Ergo the comment about things he never wants me to learn about…_ “One, I don’t own the planet, it’s not ‘my planet’. Two, they’re not ‘my people’, I don’t own them either. Third, you wanna know why? Because I’m stupid. I’m stupidly stubborn and stubbornly stupid, but I think that’s already been firmly established. And everyone has their suspicions between me and him anyway. It comes with the territory. Sort of obligated.”  
  
“Saving Asgard is one thing, but some ' **things** '…aren’t worth saving.” Forseti shot Loki a glare which was returned a tenfold. Danielle inhaled deeply. “Note to self, saw your throat open with a plastic butter knife before hanging you upside down to bleed you out and paint pretty unicorns and cute kitties all over the palace with your blood. Looks like my Friday night is booked!” _Hell no he did not just say…He did. He did. Rage. So much rage._ She suddenly became uncharacteristically calm, which made her appear all the more intimidating. “Read the list.”  
  
“Are you sure you’re prepared to hear this list?” The Allfather raised an eyebrow at her, nonverbally issuing his challenge. She inhaled deeply and replied confidently, “Hit me.” After she gave her confirmation Odin deferred to Forseti, who cleared his throat. “This most recent list of charges against one Loki Laufeyson spans back approximately twenty Midgardian years.”  
  
 _Approximately? They can’t even keep an exact amount of time? And why is it in Midgardian years? This is almost as stupid as father’s apple pie is awesome. And no one makes better apple pie than Captain Fucking America._   Danielle rolled her eyes.  _This is gonna suck even more than I anticipated..._  
  
“Abuse of power after inheriting the throne of Asgard manifesting in the form of sending the Destroyer to Midgard with the intent to kill one Thor Odinson, lying to one Thor Odinson about the death of the Allfather and the word of Queen Frigga in effort to perpetuate his banishment to Midgard, freezing and almost killing one Heimdall, creating a deal with one Laufey of Jotunnheim involving the Casket of Ancient Winters in exchange for the Allfather’s life, breaking aforementioned deal and killing one Laufey of Jotunnheim, attempt at destroying all of Jotunnheim in effort to commit genocide against the Jotunn race, allowing Jotunn into Asgard during the coronation of one Thor Odinson to steal the Casket of Ancient Winters in effort to prevent him from receiving the throne, creating a deal with the Chitauri involving the Tesseract in exchange for an army of highly-skilled Chitauri soldiers, killing eighty Midgardian civilians in the span of two days, controlling the minds of Midgardian defense specialists to aid in unrightfully obtaining the Tesseract, using the Tesseract to forcibly rip a portal into space and time, using the aforementioned portal to bring an army of highly-skilled Chitauri soldiers to Midgard, an attempt at enslaving Midgard and all of its inhabitants with particular focus on the human race, an illegal return to Asgard after banishment, and last but certainly not least releasing the Fenris Wolf.” Forseti set the scroll down and picked up another. Loki bit his lip anxiously, fearing that upon hearing the list Danielle might change her mind. Sensing his tension she elbowed him. “Relax,” she muttered. “And remember what I said about you being you, and how that’s all I care about. ‘Cause I sure as shit care about you. If your past could change that I wouldn’t be here.” He nodded slowly and she smiled.  
  
Forseti cleared his throat to recapture their attention. “The punishment for the aforementioned acts was as follows. Ninety Asgardian years in Asgardian imprisonment, the stripping of all magical power, and banishment to Midgard for an indefinite amount of time to develop an appreciation for Midgard and the human race after the duration of aforementioned incarceration.” He set the scroll down. “Though this trial was originally intended to access the success or failure of behavioral rehabilitation on the part of one Loki Laufeyson, the development of more recent offenses has now presented potential for being sentenced to death. Am I to assume you have a strong defense prepared to challenge such serious offenses _and_ a failure to see through the entirety of the punishment for the aforementioned offenses?”  
  
“A failure?” She laughed almost hysterically. “You bet your mother’s sweet ass I do.”  
  
 _Midgardians and their obscene language_ … “Were you not listening to the list of offenses I just read?”  
  
“Ya know what one of your biggest problems is here in Asgard? The partial intervention approach. Have you not seen the shit the Nazis did, or bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and fricken’ Soviet Russia? That was just the 20th century too! No one does anything to try and ‘protect the Earth’ when the humans are at each others’ throats but HOLY SHIT if someone from OUTSIDE of Midgard tries to fuck it up LET’S ALL FREAK OUT. Either protect it or don’t. Otherwise people try to make the decision for you and then ta-da, we have that list of charges. Yay, you’re creating your own damn problems and you perpetuate this fucking cycle, and then act SO SURPRISED when something happens.” She took a deep breath. “It’s difficult even for us to appreciate Midgard. How can you possibly expect someone from another realm to in that inbred cesspool of self-annihilation? There’s no one setting a fucking example!” She began pacing back and forth with an arm folded behind her arm and the other arm pointing a finger.  
  
“That’s why New York was an excellent choice. I’m by no means a representation of humanity, which is wonderful because if I were it would be nothing but anarchy and book clubs. So let’s just throw all the wonderfulness sent my way out the window for the time being. I’m no microcosm of Midgard, but NYC is. New York is a cosmopolitan melting pot of everything Midgard has to offer. It’s a condensed version of Midgard as a whole courtesy of a long-standing history of immigration waves and being an epicenter for big business and the entertainment industry. Midgard as Loki knows it is limited to New York. So he has been exposed to Midgard as a whole in the Big Apple. Whether or not he’s developed an appreciation is subject to debate, that’s why we’re all here. But because this banishment was carried out in New York you can’t immediately rule it as impossible, despite how brief it was, as much as it may pain you to hear that. Debatable, sure, but not impossible.” She paused momentarily when she noticed the thoughtful look on Forseti’s face as he processed her words. Being as unfamiliar with Midgard as he was he had no legitimate counter against her claims, especially since she was native to New York. “And if you don’t believe me you could always have Heimdall confirm it. He has no reason to come to Loki’s defense, but he can’t lie to Odin either.”  
  
“That won’t be necessary,” he replied. Forseti was willing to hear her out though not out of principle. “If you would make that suggestion then there must be some truth to your words. You have nothing to hide and you have yet to demonstrate any reason for me to doubt you, though your motive confuses me greatly. Continue on.”  
  
She smiled brightly. “Gladly. I’d like discuss something I’ve already alluded to, and that’s the self-perpetuating cycle that’s been created. The concept of internalization is how we come to understand and act upon what’s acceptable and fashion ourselves in accordance with the norms of our respective societies. It creates this attitude of ‘If this is how I’m seen, this is what I am’, and so people act upon it. Odin, true or false, there is a general disdain towards the jotunn which is held as both socially acceptable and the norm in Asgard.”  
  
“A sad but true fact, yes.”  
  
“Thought so. And for someone to find out that they are in fact of Jotunnheim, an Asgardian prince no less, it would make perfect sense to lead to a sort of identity crisis because of that generalized perspective if they’ve been led to believe otherwise for their entire life.”  
  
“Yes, it arguably could.”  
  
“And it did. And after Loki found out he not only killed the ruler of Jotunnheim but he tried to destroy it and commit genocide of the entire jotunn race, correct? Would you agree that it’s possible that this action was a projection of an insecurity he harbored after learning of his biological parentage because of the aforementioned disdain towards jotunn?”  
  
“I suppose it could be conceived as such an act, yes.”  
  
“So he had to carry that knowledge, that implicit social alienation, which eventually acted as motivation to destroy the reminder. It’s been made public knowledge that much of what happened in the past was driven by jealousy, but the hostility he exhibited intensified _after_ he was told. It wasn’t until after he was told that he made the deal with Laufey, lied about your death, and tried to kill Thor using the Destroyer. Would jealousy motivate all of that if he already had the throne after Thor’s banishment to Midgard? Or would that action be superfluous unless the motivation lay elsewhere as well?”  
  
“With the throne alone but no knowledge of being of jotunn blood it would be excessive to engage in such conflict with Jotunnheim. But the jealousy was still the primary driving force.”  
  
“True, but it led to something much more after he learned the truth. After everyone learned Loki was still alive after falling from the Bifrost, he tried taking Midgard. When that was thwarted what was Asgard’s reaction?”  
  
“Punishment.”  
  
“In what form?”  
  
“Forseti already-”  
  
“I heard him but I’m talking with you right now so tell me, as the one who decided that punishment, how his actions were dealt with.”  
  
“Incarceration.”  
  
“And it didn’t occur to you that maybe just maybe explicit social alienation would only deepen the bitterness and hatred? Because of the treatment as a result of his actions Loki acted in a way he subconsciously believed to be expected of him. And you enabled that.” There were a series of gasps and whispers following her accusation.  
  
“And on what grounds do you make this claim?” he asked narrowing his eyes at her. She stopped pacing and stared him down again, both hands behind her back. “Why didn’t you tell him?”  
  
“To protect him, as I had already explained to him.”  
  
“Protect him from what?”  
  
“The truth.”  
  
“And what truth would that be?”  
  
“His origins.”  
  
“And why would that have been so horrible to know? The universally accepted disdain for jotunn that’s damn near irreversibly woven into Asgardian culture. You weren’t protecting him from his origins, you were protecting him from ‘himself’ because of that subconsciously perceived threat. And it’s obvious that he’s pretty damn sharp so he no doubt picked up on that and in deducing that, in tandem with the generalized attitude toward jotunn, he believed himself to be a monster. He took that attitude and began operating under the mindset of ‘If this is how I’m seen, this is what I am’. But if there really is any monster here to speak of you created it through secrecy, and kept it alive through the punishment.” The murmurs grew louder as the audience marveled with shock and disgust at her audacity. She knew everyone was staring at her but didn’t mind until she felt a pair of emerald eyes on her. She looked at Loki out of the corner of her eye and could see the growing frustration, no doubt directed at her. She knew this argument would reopen and pour salt into wounds that were decades old but she had to open the eyes of the court to the problem they created and the only way to do that was to go back to the beginning. She curled her lips inward as her harsh blue eyes softened apologetically.  
  
“I’m painfully aware of the fact that I did not handle that situation as well as I could have,” he replied angrily. She turned back to him, readopting her calm and collected demeanor. “That is why I agreed to Sigyn’s suggestion of banishment to Earth to attempt a rehabilitative approach.”  
  
“Forcing him to go back to center of it all. Brilliant. Now, to the human appreciation bit. Yes, I know, I’m one human. Let’s throw that on the table now since everyone feels the need to bring it up ‘cause apparently I can’t do math. He said he would die for me. He also took a huge risk, a risk he was aware of, to avenge me. And a lot of people keep saying I was responsible for instigating these changes. I tipped the domino. Not the case. He started it. He initiated everything, whether he realizes it or not.” She glanced over at him and saw the curious, surprised look on his face. She couldn’t help but grin before returning her attention to Odin and Forseti. “He talked to me first, just wondering if I had anything to say in regards to the fact that we were stuck with each other. There was no hint of concern, but there was a rather curious and curiouser interest in my interest. I said nothing to my parents. I tried to remain a neutral party because if I was involved, or fuck forbid my **family** got involved nothing would be accomplished. And he, out of his own accord followed my advice. He took the initiative by listening to me. The little human girl. He had no reason to, but he did regardless. And he admitted to…” She paused and turned to him.  
  
“Remember the lecture during parent-teacher conferences?”  
  
“How could I forget?” he asked with sarcastic slightly drawled annoyance upon remembering that moment  
  
“Mother may I?” she asked cautiously.  
  
“Go ahead,” he said with a roll of his eyes. She put her hands on her hips and huffed. “If you’re gonna say it like that then I won’t.”  
  
“You’re the one speaking in my defense. Far be it from me to try and dictate what spills out of that gaping hole on your face.”  
  
 _I should’ve known this would happen. Those talks were between us and he appreciated me doing what I did. Now I’m advertising it all. Well he certainly has every right to be pissed about that._ She looked at Odin, eyes suddenly alight with inspiration. _There’s a way to phrase it all without broadcasting the whole damn thing, the psychoanalysis and what not. Make it quick and dirty._ “He admitted to every fault, flaw, and mistake.”  
  
“He…acknowledged everything,” Forseti echoed surprised. “Not only that it had happened, but that he was in the wrong?”  
  
“Yes. And he expressed regret.” She looked at Loki again. ‘Too much?’ she mouthed out and he shook his head. “There’s also a bit of a throwback to the internalization there. Because he didn’t think he could turn it around. All he could do was keep going forward. Undoing any fraction of the damage wasn’t even possible. Wonder how that idea got planted in his head.”  
  
“Yes, we heard your elaborate explanation the first time.”  
  
“Context is a thing Forseti. An important thing. He also pushed me to tell my parents about the secret I was keeping from them despite the consequences in store for him. He didn’t want to see my parents’ trust in me deteriorate. Projection? Possibly. Concern? Arguably. And I had no idea as to why he gave a damn. When asking I used the words ‘You have six reasons to hate me, all of whom I live with, and yet here you are giving me advice to try and protect me’ in regards to the initial unraveling of the Sigyn factor. He also told me my selflessness was responsible for questioning and challenging a lot of his hatred, and I wasn’t even trying to do that.”  
  
“All that proves is you are an exception to him,” Odin pointed out. Before Danielle could respond Loki spoke up. “Just as I told Sigyn her race is irrelevant. It always has been. And she did challenge my vastly deteriorated hostility towards humans. And you. And Thor. You have far more reason to be grateful for to her than you realize.”  
  
“And there was that whole setting Fenrir free for my sake despite being cognizant of the consequences. Wait, why are you talking? You’re not supposed to be talking. No backseat driving!”  
  
“So demanding,” he muttered.  
  
“I heard that.” _Really Loki? We’re doing this now? Maybe a little playful banter could work to our advantage._  
  
“Good. You were supposed to.”  
  
“I hate you.” She folded her arms over her chest.  
  
 _Once more they act as if there is no world around them, merely the world they have created for themselves._ “Loki, silence,” Odin commanded.  
  
‘Go time’ she mouthed to Loki, preparing to bring out her trump card. “There is one more thing I would like to bring to your attention. This has absolutely nothing to do with change in moral character but since there is a possibility of being sentenced to death…I can’t keep up the eloquence anymore,” she sighed. “You guys are absolute fuckwits. How’s your relationship with the Vanir?”  
  
“Strained at the present,” he replied, suspicious of the radical turn she was taking.  
  
“Been that way for awhile?”  
  
“Unfortunately.”  
  
“Think it’s gonna continue?”  
  
“Most likely, yes.”  
  
“Do you want Asgard to be annexed into Vanaheim?”  
  
“Of course not!”  
  
“Good, me neither. It’s pretty here. What about the other worlds?”  
  
“There is certainly room for improvement.” She nodded. “Thought so. And to keep Asgard afloat, regardless of whether or not there is war there needs to be someone in charge. And you can’t keep the throne forever. But you’ve got a lot of sons, right? Things are pretty secure with an heir available.” Her eyes widened in pseudo-epiphany. “All of them are already fulfilling some sort of station! Let’s see.” She began counting off on her fingers. “Thor is with the Avengers and protecting Midgard, pretty much refusing the throne. Tyr is, along with Sif, leading Asgard’s militaristic forces so he’s needed elsewhere. Hermod is a busy dude, being the resident mailman, so he wouldn’t have time to devote to the demands of being king. Meili is the God of travel so a dude with wanderlust is a terrible choice. Váli’s only purpose was to avenge Baldr and fate is kind of a thing, a very important thing, so he’s ineligible because of that boundary. Víðarr doesn’t talk which would prove problematic if trying to…do anything. Bragi already has a position as the overseer of oaths and possessor of the Bragarfull. Sigi is dead, as are Baldr and Höðr…” Her voice trailed off nervously upon seeing the glare Forseti sent in her direction.  
  
“That’s pretty unfortunate then, since you can’t be in charge forever, and with no heir you’ll- Oh, wait, wait a minute.” She tapped her chin a few times, eyes distant as though she were deep in thought and began taking a few steps back in Loki’s direction. “You do have one son who, at the current, isn’t holding any particular station, don’t you?” She stopped when she was standing at his side once again. “The only option you have for an heir…is currently facing the death penalty…I guess you can kiss your dynasty goodbye then! Because if he’s put to death, the future security of Asgard goes with him.”  
  
As she had anticipated her point was not well-received by the jury, the judge, and the audience itself who had remained generally quiet up until that point. Danielle stood her ground but the impact on Loki was inevitable, hence her apprehension to bring it to Odin’s attention despite the fact that it was true. She put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. “You’re fine,” she murmured in a balmy voice. “Remember, ya got me, **whether you like it or not**.” Odin raised a hand, palm forward to cease the crescendo of an uproar. He turned his attention to Danielle, who folded her hands behind her back. Crossing her fingers on both her hands she noticed Loki shaking from the exponentially rising anxiety. She wanted to tell him to relax once more but knew her words would fall on deaf ears. Only a judgment in his favor could calm him now.  
  
“Lady Danielle, you are without question a very passionate and eloquent young woman…But the point still stands that Fenrir was released and there is no way you or anyone else can prove it was _not_ a preemptive, Ragnarok-inspired scheme. Someone as intelligent as yourself can surely understand how strong of an offense that is.” He made no effort to hide the mockery in his voice which, much to Danielle’s surprise, elicited an irate, guttural growl from Loki. _What will you do now little girl?_ Odin thought to himself. _Exactly how interwoven are your paths? If he is sentenced to death, will you follow him_? “And it is by far his most grave offense.”  
  
Danielle visibly paled. Despite the orders Loki had issued to Fenrir she had no evidence to prove it wasn’t a pretext and he had something more sinister in store. She nervously licked her lips, thoughts racing as he continued. “And it is rather strange that he had taken to you, inexplicably so,” he added.  
  
She put her hands in the time out symbol. “Back up there buddy. Are you accusing me…of collaboration?”  
  
“You’re too quick-witted yourself to be manipulated and your actions were clearly done out of your own accord.” _Show me this path the Norns spoke of._ “Can you prove to us that you yourself are to be trusted? Our only reliable lie detector is…currently unreliable.”  
  
“Excuse me while I go bang my head against the wall!” she yelled. “Yes, obviously this is a collaborative effort for insert motivation here. And Sigyn was in on it too and she died for the cause, bless her fucking soul! Clearly I faked my death and didn’t steal the universe’s most prized possession when I had the chance because that would make perfect sense for someone with ulterior motive! And guess what? I don’t have one! Oh, and I obviously faked my kidnapping, because I knew I could handle getting shot right through the fucking stomach!” She lifted her hoodie and shirt partway up to show him her perfectly circular scar in the middle of her abdomen. “Because I’m just so fucking dedicated! No, I’m not dedicated. I’m just kidding. I’m lying right to your fucking face. And full of rage.”  
  
“And what do you intend to do with that rage?”  
  
“I did break my own father’s ribcage accidentally and since you don’t mean a damn thing to me, and Fenrir does listen to me for some reason I might as well let him off his leash myself! I might as well gauge out your remaining eye, fill the socket with gasoline, and drop a match in! I might as well-!”  
  
“Danielle, be quiet!” Loki yelled. She stomped her foot like a child having a temper tantrum. “I can’t help it, he’s hurting my feelings. All of my feelings! And I have a lot of feelings!”  
  
“So you decide to expunge your indignation by threatening to kill Odin. What a brilliant idea.”  
  
“They’re the only kind I have, remember?” she replied with a sarcastic grin. He sighed and shook his head. “You are such an idiot sometimes…”  
  
“And you still have yet to detach yourself from me.”  
  
“That’s because you’re like a damned lamprey.”  
  
“But I’m a cute lamprey, right?”  
  
“If I say ‘yes’ will you stop yelling?”  
  
“Only if you mean it,” she replied sing-song.  
  
“Both of you, silence, now!” Odin roared. “You two are…There are no words for it.”  
  
“Ridiculous?” she suggested and looked at Loki who nodded in agreement.  
  
“Quite. Let’s return to the trial.” Before he could continue the sound of an angry feminine voice immediately silenced him, even causing him to look slightly fearful.  
  
“Odin, that’s quite enough,” Frigga said sternly. He opened his mouth to protest but all she had to do was glare him down and he backed down. Danielle’s jaw dropped. “You’re mom is a total **BAMF** ,” she whispered to Loki as the queen started scolding him for his accusations towards Danielle. “Stands for-”  
  
“I know what it stands for, I had to pose as a high school instructor,” he whispered back. Her eyes lit up. “Oh yeah, that reminds me, I forgot to ask you earlier-”  
  
“Forget about the damned essay!” he snapped. She giggled. “You’re cute when you’re irritated. Maybe that’s why I love to annoy you.” She pinched his cheek and he glared at her. “First I silence you, and then I will paralyze you,” he warned. She rested her arm on his shoulder and laughed. “You go right ahead and tell yourself that, sweetheart.”  
  
“This ends now,” the queen said firmly. Rarely if ever did Frigga lose her temper; if she did things were bound to get messy. “After everything this girl done for us, for Asgard, for your son, the suffering she had to endure, you have the audacity to spew such inane accusations at her! This fear that you failed as a father has consumed you so greatly that you must continually punish Loki, force him to suffer the consequences of your own insecurities to try and justify these self-perceived failures.” The Allfather blinked at his wife in surprise, then swallowed hard. It only took a few seconds of meditating on her words to realize that was some truth to them. Both Danielle and Loki exchanged surprised looks, distinctly remembering the conversation they had when she first presented that opinion to him. With a sigh he turned his attention solely to Loki.  
  
“You have kept bizarre company in your time on Midgard. I grant you permission to speak, but only when spoken to. This does not include YOU.” He glanced at Danielle quickly who stuck out her tongue at him and then stepped aside, arms folded across her chest. “She has made her opinions of and feelings towards you quite clear. Tell me Loki, what does this girl mean to you?”  
  
“She has a name, in case you forgot. And I released Fenrir. That should say more than enough.”  
  
“It says plenty, but I want to hear it in your own words. What reasons have you to readily accept her aid?  The aid of a human, the child of those who stopped you, a girl raised in part by Thor.”  
  
“It’s not something that can be articulated. It took no conscious effort on my part. It…happened. I am posing as a Midgardian and in a matter of days this brat is clinging to me like a leech. I gave her no reason to, but I had no reason to turn her away either. She’s entertaining. And despite the fact that she is a pain she grows on you. And yes she is bizarre company but one thing is for certain- so long as she is around nothing is ever boring. Or quiet, but the drama and trouble she attracts compensates for the volume control deficiency.” He said the last three words directly in her ear.  
  
“First I’m a parasite, then a lamprey, and now I’m a leech,” she muttered under her breath, trying to ignore his last few words. _Why do I get the feeling my future love life is going to consist of quoting literary masterpieces, endless banter, pretending to plot enslaving Midgard, and copious amounts of cuddling?_

"She claimed that you had admitted fault and expressed guilt.  If that is how you truly feel then surely you wouldn't take issue with doing it again here before the Asgardian court?"

"If I had fault to admit to I wouldn't be here.  That's been made quite clear.  And yes, it was a mistake.  But I can't say I entirely regret it."  Danielle gasped loudly, as did most of the audience, at his self-incriminating words.  "Had I not carried out my endeavors then Danielle never would have been born.  I did humanity a favor in that respect, giving her to Midgard.  And you, considering Sigyn's betrayal was inevitable regardless of my actions and yours."  The adolescent blinked in surprise, mouth slightly agape.  Loki noticed out of the corner of his eye and tried not to grin.  "Who would have stopped her then?  Who would have saved your precious kingdom then?  Who would have even suspected her at all?  Certainly not you if you deemed her a suitable wife whose wholesome innocense and pure heart would curb some of my more undesirable habits.  Yes, I abused my authority.  Yes, I tried to destroy Jotunnheim.  Yes, I tried to enslave Midgard.  Would you like that in writing as well?"

"I see very little expression of guilt," Forseti scoffed.  Loki glowered at him.  "You expect me to condense something I will have to cope with for the rest of my days into a few minutes for your viewing pleasure?"

  
“Forseti, I would like to redirect the focus now.  In regards to Danielle...We all have made our assumptions but I want to hear it from you. Are the two of you romantically involved?” He hesitated as the Asgardian audience waited with bated breath for his response.

"What relevance does that hold to the verdict?"  The teenager scrunched her face in contemplation.  _Good point...Why would Odin care?_

"Answer the question, Loki."  
  
“Not yet. She’s too young.”  
  
“Doesn’t stop you from flirting…Which you always instigate…” she whispered looking away from him, but loud enough for him to be within earshot.  
  
“I do not always instigate it.”  
  
“So you admit that you sometimes instigate it?”  
  
“I’m going to ignore you now.”  
  
“I’ll scream in your ear. Ignore that, bitch.”  
  
As the banter continued Odin was about to remind him that he was only to answer to anyone except Danielle, but Frigga shook her head. “Just let them be. When was the last time you ever saw him smile like that?”  
  
“I can’t even remember. Somehow she’s managed to sober that hatred without even trying. And this behavior is normal, not indicative of hostility?”  
  
“From what I’ve come to understand of Midgardians this is actually a display of affection. They aren’t arguing. Remember their personalities. It’s like a game. And if they can make amends afterwards it’s a testament to the strength of that affection. You and I both know Loki doesn’t tolerate easily,” she said with a slight shake of her head. “And this affection, it clearly reciprocates. Look at him. He’s happy.”  
  
“It seems he’s met his match. It’s actually rather amusing watching them.” He laughed softly. “It’s quite clear what the punishment should be.”  
  
“Punishment?” she hissed in alarm narrowing her eyebrows. He nodded and motioned for her to lean over so he could whisper his plan to her. Her eyes widened and she nodded approvingly. “That would certainly prove everything she has said to be true. Deliver the punishment then.”  
  
“Shut up for a second.” Danielle put her hand over Loki’s mouth when she noticed the king and queen had been deliberating. “He looks like he’s deep in thought right now.” Her hand dropped to her side and Loki nodded in confirmation. “He’s going to consult Forseti who will then deliver the verdict, and if need be Odin will deliver the punishment.” He bit his lip as Odin turned to the God of justice and the two began whispering amongst themselves. She could hear him breathing slowly to try controlling his rising anxiety levels and put one of her hands behind his back. She tightly squeezed one of his trembling, sweaty hands and slipped her fingers between his. _The moment of truth_ , she thought to herself inhaling heavily. _If he has even half a heart he’ll at the very least listen to his wife. I had no idea that woman was so badass; she always seemed so passive._  
  
Forseti cleared his throat and Danielle swore she could hear Loki’s racing heart. She crossed her fingers on her other hand. “Just in case this falls to shit I want you know something, because there’s no way I could live out the rest of my life without having told you. I’m falling in lo-”  
  
“The High Court of Asgard hereby acquits one Loki Laufeyson of all charges against him.”  
  
Loki, who was at a loss for words, widened his eyes in absolute disbelief and then sighed deeply in relief. Danielle on the other hand was screaming into her hands, jumping up and down like a hyperactive toddler. She immediately shattered the tight metal restraints on his wrists and almost hug-tackled him to the ground, squeezing him so hard he could barely breathe. Over the sound of the mixed reaction from the crowd he murmured in her ear, “Thank you, Danielle. But the amount of strength you’re using could become counterproductive in a matter of seconds.” She curled her lips inward embarrassed as she loosened her grip. “Yeah, I probably shouldn’t crush your respiratory system after having just saved your life.” She shook her head as he returned the embrace. “But don’t thank me just for being me. Nothing could ever take you away from this lil' parasite, lamprey, leech, what-fucking-ever you wanna call me.”  
  
“Incredible. That’s what I’ll call you. But that hardly scratches the surface.” Her cheeks turned bright red and she buried her face in his chest. “Shut up with the sentimentality!” she barked. “I hate it.” He couldn’t help but laugh at her. “Still trying to lie to me. When will you ever learn?” She scoffed. “Someday it’ll happen. Mark my words. Someday I will successfully lie to you.” He sighed. “Stubborn idiot.” Before she could retort their moment was interrupted by the Allfather.  
  
“There is however one stipulation,” Odin began. “If these claims of character change are true then you can surely exhibit them without her incessant ‘poking and prodding’. Prove that you are not dependent on her influence, her presence. I forbid the two of you to maintain direct contact for a total of eight Midgardian years, starting as soon as Lady Danielle returns to Midgard.” _If the Norns weren’t lying again, these two should easily be able to continue on a shared path through time and space despite the distance and lack of contact._


	25. One Foot in Front of the Other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MAJOR FEELS AND MINOR SPOILERS FOR THE SEQUEL. And those major feels, we cover the whole spectrum. Happy feels, sad feels, funny feels, facepalm feels, and everything in between. Right now I'm debating how mature I want the sequel's rating to be since we've been with Dani since she was 16-turning-17 (well actually since she was born...). I have no aversion to writing it, so I'll leave that up to the comfort level of the readers and go from there, or just go with it and post warnings in the chapter notes. Alright, ready for feels? Put your seatbelts on kids. Oh yeah, remember the edits at the end of chapter 12? The new scene? I added a little more to it. Just two lines. But all you Danoki shippers reading this might wanna take a gander at them, for some squeals and feels.
> 
> PS- The next chapter is the last chapter of Growing Pains.

It didn’t take long for the Avengers to ready themselves to leave. Tony was still relatively stable, the new concern now being whether or not the interdimensional travel would agitate the already slightly damaged arc reactor. The most difficult part, as everyone had anticipated, was Danielle’s goodbye to Loki. Thor kept his own goodbyes brief; he wasn’t sure when he would be able to return to Asgard next for his visit but he strongly felt she was entitled to a little more time with his brother.  
  
They did their best to wait patiently where the Bifrost met Asgardian soil, Tony and Steve both bitter that they couldn’t keep an eye on their daughter as they prepared to part. The two were in Loki’s room, despite objections from her parents, but they eventually accepted that they deserved to have their goodbye in private (or rather, were manipulated by a very vicious pout). Danielle and Loki stood in awkward silence for quite some time, unsure of how to start the miserable conversation.  
  
She was standing near the entrance, her back to the door, and he was roughly three and a half feet away facing her. Looking down at her ground and folding her arms across her chest she muttered, “Even if I get his point, Odin’s still a dick.” _Can’t think of a much better way to kick this all off than to insult somebody…_  
  
“Look at it this way,” Loki began, sounding just as crestfallen as her, hoping his words would relax the both of them. “By the time this is over you won’t be a child anymore.” Suppressing a grin and a giggle she said, “My parents are gonna hate that. The joys of raising a teenage daughter. Now that all of Sigyn’s use and abuse of your power is gone I won’t have to worry about people fawning over me anymore. Of all the ways to try and get me off her trail…Now I can go back to being antisocial and a recluse! Glad my fifteen minutes of fame are over. Speaking of did you get your magic back yet?”  
  
“Not until you leave, which will work to your benefit.”  
  
“‘Cause you’d give anything to shut me up, right?” she asked with an eyebrow raised.  
  
“Exactly.” Leaning forward she whispered, “You’re lying again. Just like every time you said you wished you could shut me up.” She grinned and started rocking back and forth on her heels. “Don’t even bother denying it. I noticed.” He looked away, narrowing his eyes in annoyance. “Damn you,” he breathed.  
  
“What am I supposed to do for eight years?” she wondered aloud, leaning back against his door again. “I’m sure I’ll figure it out along the way…One thing at a time…But eight years sounds like fucking eternity…” She sighed.  
  
“It will pass sooner than you think.”  
  
“…I know that look. What’re you up to?” she asked curiously. Grinning he replied, “He wasn’t very careful with his word choice when elaborating on the ‘stipulation’. Think about it.” She paused and tried to recall the entirety of Odin’s final words and her eyes lit up. “No **direct** contact. He never forbade indirect!” she gasped excitedly.  
  
“Precisely.”  
  
“OK, maybe it won’t be that bad. And if Thor knows what’s good for him he’s gonna play messenger boy until this period elapses. What I don’t understand…It’s going to last longer for you what with time passing slower here and you seem unfazed. Relatively speaking.” She squeaked in surprise when he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her towards him, tilting her chin up with his other hand. As much as she hated eye contact, especially in her current emotional state she couldn’t stand knowing that she would have to wait eight years to see those eyes again.  
  
 _And she accuses me of being adorable to the point that it’s overwhelming._ “You’re right, but there’s something you need to keep in mind.”  
  
“What’s that?” she asked softly as she rested her hands on his chest, one atop the other.  
  
“I had to wait over one thousand years to find you. I can easily wait eight more if it means I can keep you.” She bit her lip as her hands slid down his armor and eventually wrapped around him, her cheek resting just below his clavicle. “But I can only hope you find me as worth waiting for as I do you,” he added quietly as the hand beneath her chin locked with the one on her lower back.  
  
“That’s a stupid fear,” she scolded. “I’m not exactly a patient person, but if there was one thing, one person that I could force myself to wait for it’s you. I didn’t get kidnapped, die, and jump into that trial for nothing.” She could hear his heartbeat begin to escalate slowly beneath the armor. “You’re still stuck with me. Said it a bajillion times before, and I’ll keep saying it until it registers- nothing could ever come between me and my ability to irritate the ever living shit out of you.” After her attempt at a confession was interrupted by Forseti’s delivery of judgment Loki had come to interpret that as exactly what she was trying to say then, a code of sorts that only Danielle would use- she was falling in love with him. He was glad that she hadn’t been able to say it at the trial; it would only make the separation harder because it reciprocated.  
  
“Can you do me a favor?” She looked up at him. “That depends on what it is…” he replied cautiously. “It’s nothing big. Just try not to get into too much trouble when I’m gone.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Did you hear what you just said?” She laughed. “OK, let me rephrase that. Try not to get into too much trouble without me.”  
  
“I suppose I can try…”  
  
“You’re lying.”  
  
“Of course I am!” he exclaimed slightly dumbfounded by her request. “Don’t tell me this surprises you.” She couldn’t help but grin. “Can you blame me for trying ‘Mister I Like the Idea of Having a Partner in Crime’?”  
  
“If you’re going to have a hissy fit about it I _suppose_ I can try…”  
  
“Bullshit. OK, so eight years to the date. Early November I think? I dunno the date down there. Regardless, that’ll be a nice early birthday present.”  
  
“When is your birthday?”  
  
“November 29th. Same day the November Uprising began, end of Burmese monarchy and the third Anglo-Burmese War, Albanian liberation, Admiral Richard Byrd became the first person to fly over the South Pole, and Atari announced the release of Pong. Same birthday as Louisa May Alcott, C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engel…Three pretty awesome authors in my opinion.”  
  
“You forgot another important event.” She rolled her eyes. “Lemme guess. I was born. Argh, so much sappyness.”  
  
“You have eight years to brace yourself for much, much worse.” He exhaled deeply. “As much as I would love for you to stay…we can’t keep drawing this out.” He started feeling restless and anxious.  
  
“Not with that attitude,” she grumbled. “But we do need to fix up my dad. And I was gonna have cheesecake before I got kidnapped. I hope it’s still there…” She gulped, mustering all the strength she possibly could to keep from crying. “It’s just eight years,” she repeated quietly. “Just eight long, shitty, lonely, boring years.” _What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t even want to hug him right now. It makes everything seem so…final. Like this really is the end. Forever._ The sound of Fenrir’s howling outside brought her back to reality. “I’m gonna miss him, that big fluffball cuddle fiend of a puppy.” She peered over his shoulder.  
  
“I think he’s made it quite clear that it reciprocates.” She turned her attention back to him. “What about you?” Taken aback by her question he replied, “Of course I am. Why would you even ask?”  
  
“I just wanted to hear it. I’m definitely gonna miss you,” she said with a slow nod, and then looked down at her chest. She took off her DIGITAL pendant and handed it to him. “Keep this.”  
  
“Won’t you need it?” he asked, surprised by the offer. “I can always put together a new one but that’s my first. And you always remember you first,” she said somewhat suggestively, her Stark blood getting the better of her. “It’s got a lot of sentimental value. I want it back. And you better give it back to me. Got it?” She dropped the purple charm into his palm.  
  
“I can agree to that.” Loki clutched the pendant tightly in his hand, painfully aware that both he and Danielle would never part unless pried from each other now. He tried to let go, to pull back, but she wouldn’t let him. She was clutching so tightly it was starting to tear at the fabric of his clothing. “Danielle, you have to let go,” he said quietly. She shook her head. “No. You’ll have to make me.” He rolled his eyes feeling slightly defeated, betrayed by both his common sense and his emotions. “The sooner you leave, the sooner the eight years apart that await us will begin, and the sooner they will elapse,” he reminded. “I don’t care,” she murmured. “I can’t say goodbye.”  
  
“The mere thought of you leaving almost causes physical pain but-” She quickly shook her head again. “No, that’s not what I mean.” She lifted her hands up and cupped his face, pressing her forehead against his with downcast eyes. “I can’t say it,” she began in a voice so hushed it was almost an inaudible whispered, “because ‘goodbye’ is shorthand for ‘God be with you’.” Her lips were dangerously close to his. “And you won’t be. You won’t be with me. And that kills me after everything you’ve done for me, after having become so accustomed to you always being there for me. You’ll be stuck here under Odin’s scrutiny, miserable, and the thought of you being alone again, I feel like I’m supposed to find a way to stay, so that doesn’t happen, because you and I-” She was interrupted by a finger pressing against her lips.  
  
“This is something we both have to do. You know that as well as I.” She gulped, thumbs slowly making small circles below his cheekbones. “Yeah, I do, I do, but there’s a big difference between knowing and feeling,” she replied as his finger slid down her chin and his hand moved to the back of her neck, her lower lip trembling. “And right now I also know us being this close is a terrible idea but I don’t even have half a fuck to give.”  
  
“I was the one indebted to you, Danielle. Where is this sudden compulsion coming from? What reason could you possibly have to be grateful to me for?”  
  
“What the fuck kind of question is that?" she almost laughed.  "Remember when I said you’d been a good influence on me, when we were leaving Gioll? I would feel so unbelievably guilty for just…leaving you here in a place that makes you miserable where any fucking second you could be forced into once again taking a throne that you don’t even want and having to deal with Odin’s bullshit and oh fuck the rest of Asgard, I just…”  
  
“That’s my burden to bear, not yours. And you have yet to answer my question.”  
  
“I know, I’m getting to it. It’s not like I don’t think you can do it but…I feel like I’m supposed to be here when you do. And I’m indebted to you because I know I haven’t been showing my feelings very much over the past few months but that’s because never before have I ever been so attached to someone outside my family, so concerned about someone, so taken by someone…Ya wanna know why I complain about sappy stuff and feelings?"  She glanced up at him, the fear and panic in her eyes sharp but pitiful. "Because my own feelings terrify me. I’ve been so fucking scared of you, of me, because…because…I was so damn comfortable in that little bubble. Just my family and my library. Typical Dani, being a-okay with giving but not receiving.” Her fingertips ran down his face and neck until her hands settled on his chest and she grinned slightly. “And then you came along and ruined all that –which is a good thing- and I’m literally terrified of leaving because I don’t want to be that person again. I don’t want to get stuck in that comfort zone of isolation and continue keeping people out because I’ve convinced myself that a few people fucking me over in the past justifies completely disengaging. I’m happier now, I’m happier being me all the time, and I’m so scared that’s gonna change and I’ll become an anti-social, cynical, bitter, bitchtacular rage monster, but I’m also scared of not changing back to that because it’s so safe and easy to shut the world out…My timing couldn’t be any worse to throw all this out there.” She bit her lip.  
  
“Better now than letting it sit for eight more years,” he replied brushing her bangs from out of her eyes. Like her he was frustrated by the prospect of knowing that he wouldn’t be able to look into those sometimes soothing, something mischievous, but always beautiful eyes she had been blessed with; but he could take solace in the fact that he was one of few, if not the only person who had the privilege of looking into those endless oceans as often as he pleased.  
  
“I guess. Sorry for throwing all that at you.”  
  
“Don’t be. I had my suspicions that it was something you were struggling with. You aren’t as transparent as you like to believe.”  
  
“I meant it.” She took a deep breath, preparing to possibly finish the sentence Forseti kept her from getting out. “Even if I didn’t get to finish saying it, I meant it.”  
  
“I know. You made that fairly apparent just-”  
  
“And now you’re gonna mock me for that emotional rant…”  
  
 _If this an attempt at a guilt trip to find a way to let her stay it’s working._ “Of course not. For other things you do, absolutely dear, but not that. What I was going to say was that you made it fairly apparent just last night.”  
  
“How? I said a lot of things last night.” The magnetic attraction between their lips slowly started pulling them back towards each other.  
  
“It wasn’t something you said. It was all of your words, your presence, it was you. Do you remember when I said that being here made me sick? As soon as you, in typical Danielle fashion, barged in here…and we were standing at the balcony…While you were here it felt as if none of it had ever happened. That I never…You know what I’m referring to. And that’s why I need this. I need to be able to do that on my own. I’ve never been dependent on you for it but you were the only person who even bothered entertaining the idea of giving me a second chance. And courtesy of you I’ve been granted the opportunity to do it myself. To prove everyone wrong. And you right,” he added with slight hesitation.  
  
“Thor tried,” she pointed out.  
  
“You say it as if I cared at the time,” he scoffed. “These eight years will be an opportunity for me to pick up where you will leave off once you return to Midgard, and they’ll provide you with the chance to challenge that fear clenching your heart with an iron-like vice-grip. Do you still believe everything happens for a reason?”  
  
“Of course I do.”  
  
“I know you hold a level of disdain for the life you were born into, the convenience and luxury and wealth. But you must have been born into it for a reason and you have been actively rejecting it. Perhaps part of your frustration, your apathy towards allowing yourself to live without inhibition, stems from that.”  
  
“So what do I do? Join the Avengers, write an autobiography, start taking interviews, do celebrity guest appearances on prime time sitcoms, work for Stark Industries? I don’t want to be in the public eye.”  
  
“No one said that you have to be. But you could, at the very least, find a niche beyond your family and your library, to use your words.”  
  
“…is this the part where you ask me to it if not for my sake then for yours because you know it’s in my benefit?” she asked deadpan and he chuckled softly. “You know me far too well.”  
  
“I could easily say the same to you.” She squeezed her eyes tight and clenched her teeth. “I…I should probably ship out now. The sooner I leave the sooner I see you again. Eight years to the date. You better be there.” She opened her eyes. “And if you’re not I’ll scour the entire fucking universe until I find you and pummel you to death with a very blunt object.”  
  
“I wouldn’t put it past you. It’s going to take a great deal of adjusting to how quiet things will be.” She leered at him, and then laughed it off. “Not even gonna bother denying it. Phonetically speaking ‘yell’ is in my name. Just realized that. Alright, I’ll try being me more often. Too bad you won’t be around to yank my chain like I had to do with you.”  
  
“Unlike myself you were already aware of your problem. And that you had the ability to change it. You just need to take it.”  
  
“True.” It just occurred to her that once again their lips were but centimeters from each other. _No, Dani, don’t, don’t do it, don’t do it, no matter how badly you want to…Wait the eight years and it’ll be all the more worth it._ “Know what I just realized?” she asked with a soft giggle.  
  
“Hm?”  
  
“Now is probably the worst time for us to be alone together. Because if I don’t move away from you within the next ten seconds I’m gonna kiss you. And not like that harmless, ‘just to fuck with you a little’ kiss after I came back to life.”  
  
“And once again I find myself conflicted between what I said regarding your age…and what I want.” His tone was descending into a husky whisper again  
  
“Well if it’s causing you that much mental and emotional duress…” She suddenly pulled away and stuck out her tongue. “I’ll just go ahead and make the decision for you. ‘Cause I’m thoughtful like that.” _Hooray for torturing future significant other!_  
  
“You bring sainthood to a new level.”  
  
“You know I only have your best interest at heart,” she replied pinching his cheek. He glowered at her. “Do that again and I’ll-”  
  
“Alright, fine, I can take a hint.” Grinning she added as she slowly broke the embrace, “I’ll never touch you again.” The humor she derived from her actions was starting to balance out with the pain of the impending sentencing. Turning her back as she opened the door she anticipated a retort and had to beat him to it, to be the one to get the last word in. Smirking she looked over her shoulder and said, “Remember you’re not the only one who can twist people’s words around. Looks like you also have to find the answer to ‘What have I gotten myself into?’. Gosh golly gee, we have so much in common. It’s almost like we’re compatible!” She turned her back once more and felt the lump in her throat growing. “Well, until then.”  
  
“Just remember, indirect contact,” he said as he folded his arms over his chest, trying to savor as much as possible of what remained of her physical presence. Looking down at the pendant he told himself, as corny as it was, that a part of her would always be with him until he could see her again.  
  
“Which I have every intention of taking advantage of.”  
  
“Glad to know we’re on the same page,” he replied with a grin, already generating ideas for keeping touch with her without violating Odin’s command. She took her first step out. “We always have been. You just had your eyes closed and I was looking away.” She took another step and he could no longer bear the sight of her leaving. He was going to return to the balcony until she called over her shoulder, “Hey jackass, one more thing.”  
  
“Make it quick, for both our sakes.” Much to his surprise she burst out laughing. “It’s nothing. I just wanted to see you respond to being called ‘jackass’ one last time before I have to go.”  
  
“You're so insufferable sometimes...”  
  
“You know you love it,” she teased with a sad smile and then winked. “Miss you already.” With that she slowly closed the door. His back to it he quietly muttered to himself, “Again, we’re on the same page. Little parasite.”  
  
As soon as she left his room her body was on autopilot, her mind absolutely blank. She neared the large front doors until she felt a hand on her shoulder, making her jump and snapping her out of numbness. She turned and saw the queen standing by her. “Leaving already?” she asked somewhat surprised. Danielle nodded. “If I stay any longer you guys will never get rid of me.”  
  
“I wanted to thank you for standing up to Odin and helping bring him to his senses. That little scolding I gave him at the end…Loki made mention that you had told him the very same thing at one point. Despite your parentage and his connection to it you did the most unexpected thing one if your position could do. How you saw that sliver of the real him buried beneath the emotional debris he was hiding within to avoid the consequences of his actions, I will never know. But as his mother words cannot begin to express how happy I am to know that he is happy again. Even if the two of you must separate for a period of time it is finite. And I’m sure that by the time you are able to see each other again…It will be as if you never parted at all.”  
  
“I guess so. Except I’ll be a little more mature by then. Maybe. Probably not.”  
  
“There is something else I wanted to mention to you.” Danielle narrowed her eyes in curiosity upon the radical change in the tone of the queen’s voice. “What’s that?” she asked head slightly cocked to the side.  
  
“You are correct in saying that Loki is the only remaining available heir to Odin’s throne. And it’s apparent that even though you maintain a strong platonically intimate relationship, it is truly a suppressed romantic one. I don’t even need to ask if you want to be with him. I can see by the look on your face that this is perhaps one of the most painful experiences you have ever faced in your young life. And after the eight years is over the two of you will be free to see each other as much as you please, within the limitations of Heimdall’s power of course. Until he takes the throne. If your relationship progressed to the verge of permanency, then for you to remain together…It’s something that the two of you should remain mindful of. I’m not discouraging your bond. Far from. But I would hate to see something so wonderful fall apart because of information which should have been taken into consideration years prior.”  
  
“…I hadn’t thought of that. I’m taking all of this one day at a time, ya know? But…thank you for at least forcing me to put that on the back burner. That’s definitely something I’ll need to be aware of. Have you told him?”  
  
“It wouldn’t surprise me if he already knew.”  
  
 _Perhaps that was part of his apprehension in regards to becoming king again. Not wanting to force me to choose._ “Me neither. I do need to get going so we can take a look at the thing in my dad’s chest that helps keep him alive. It sustained minor damage.”  
  
“Then I shall keep you no longer. I wish you a safe return to Midgard and him a quick recovery.”  
  
“Thanks,” she replied with a half smile before turning on her heel to continue her departure. Not even paying attention to her surroundings, she hadn’t realized that she was in her family’s company until her father’s voice caught her attention. “All set?” he asked gently, trying to ignore the pained look on her face. It made him feel quite powerless to know that there was nothing he could do to alleviate his daughter’s sadness right now. She nodded slowly and the group made their way down the Bifrost, Natasha moving awkwardly after her sparring session. They entered Heimdall’s domain and he nodded in acknowledgment.  
  
“Before I send you home,” he began as he raised the sword, “the Allfather has requested that I tell him about the time you spent with Loki on Midgard and here.”  
  
“Wait, what? Why?” Before she could have her question answered Heimdall slammed the key down and twisted it, hurdling them through time and space.

* * *

  
**Tony’s Lab**  
  
  
Coulson shrieked and Pepper jumped, dropping all of her paperwork when the teleportation device constructed to complement the weakened Bifrost began to move suddenly. Their comrades had been gone for a total of nineteen hours since leaving to create their initial negotiations with the alien race. There was a shared sigh of relief between the two of them when they saw everyone had come back in one piece with Danielle in their company.  
  
“Nobody hug me please,” she requested looking back and forth between them. “I need to start getting this place ready for some repair work.” She flipped off the power switch on the machine and began going around the lab gathering the tools she would need to operate on her dad. Pepper and Coulson exchanged curious looks with the others, all of whom made some sort of non-verbal indication that it was best not to ask.  
  
“Oh, dad, that reminds me,” she added as she continued gathering things from all over the lab, piling them at the general work station. “I need a new suit.”  
  
“What’s wrong with the current one?”  
  
“It’s elsewhere.”  
  
“…you lost it in Asgard?”  
  
“No, I know exactly where it is. And in eight years I’ll have it back, but in the mean time I’d like another one to use.”  
  
“Nice to see you back in one piece agents,” Coulson greeted. “I’ll let the director know there aren’t any openings we’ll need to try and fill.”  
  
“So what happened?” Pepper asked excitedly. “Can we not talk about it now?” the teenager asked making no effort to hide her annoyance. “Have your Q and A session later. I wanna fix that arc reactor, have some beef lo mein and cheesecake if it’s still there, take a long overdue shower, and fucking sleep. Oh, right, what’s the date today?”  
  
“November 1st.” Pepper glanced down at her watch. “Barely after two in the morning.”

* * *

  
**Afternoon**  
  
  
It didn’t take the combined efforts of Danielle and Bruce much time at all to fix the damaged arc reactor but after Coulson had given Fury the update, making mention of the damaged device, Tony was placed on indefinite medical leave. The adolescent spent much of the day working on her new suit with her dad after the decision was made that DIGITAL would temporarily replace Iron Man until he was deemed well-enough to work again. Unlike every other time they had spent in the lab it was awkwardly quiet, the only sounds being those of the machinery. The finished product was very much like the first except it allowed for more flexibility in her movement, combining the abilities of the suit with Steve’s training.  
  
“Test run later today?” Tony asked wiping the sweat off of his forehead after the face plate had been firmly attached. He took a step back from the final project to give it a once over. _Looks good to me._ Danielle shrugged apathetically. “Dunno. Maybe. Sure, I guess. Something to do...”  
  
“You know you’re seeing that S.H.I.E.L.D. therapist today right?” he reminded as she began pulling up 3D screens of the suit’s monitoring systems to check the internal cooling and other essentials. She nodded slowly as she glanced over the numbers and figures. “Yeah, I know. And in two days, back to school.”  
  
“Hey Dani?”  
  
“What?” she asked monotone.  
  
“I’m sorry-”  
  
“Don’t,” she interrupted briskly as her hands started to shake. “Just…just don’t.”  
  
“Want to bump up that appointment and see if she’s available now?” Danielle hesitated, and then slowly nodded.  Her breathing started to quicken the way it had during the panic attack she had in Asgard and the next thing she knew she fell into Tony's chest sobbing.

* * *

  
**Later that Day, S.H.I.E.L.D. Base, New York Chapter**  
  
  
Danielle sat outside the therapist’s office as she briefed her parents on her session. The teenager had signed release forms knowing full-well they would want to know as much as possible but she couldn’t herself to articulate it just yet, and gave the therapist permission to do so in her place. As she slumped in her chair she noticed Clint out of the corner of her eye in the presence of a blonde woman, a casual air about him instead of his serious, tactical self, a persona one would expect from him at work.  
  
 _If he’s here where’s Aunt Natasha? If it’s just him…He would have said something about a solo mission in case of emergency or being gone for a while…Why is he pointing at me? And why does she have a notepad? Oh yay…_ She looked away as the blonde woman headed in her direction, Clint wandering off elsewhere. She tried to ignore the approaching woman, hoping her parents would come out in a matter of seconds but after all the information she had shared they could possibly be in there for at least an hour. So far they had only been in the office for fifteen minutes.  
  
She folded her arms over her chest when the footsteps stopped. “Danielle?” the unfamiliar voice called. She turned in her direction. “That’s me. What’s up?”  
  
“Hi, I’m Barbara Morse. Bobbi for short. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a little bit about genetics? Specifically inheritance of the SSS? I started working here in July as a biochemist and I originally wanted to work with your father, but I found your genetic makeup far more fascinating. Ack, that’s probably the wrong word. Interesting. Not to say you’re a test subject. More so like…something relevant to my interests that I would like to know more about. Like a customer wanting to know the secret ingredient at their favorite restaurant! Damn, that was worse. I assure you this isn’t for a science journal or academic paper,” she explained with an apologetic smile.  
  
 _Back to basics…She seems nice enough though. And Uncle Clint knows I hate interviews and being treated like a lab rat. Trust his judgment? Alrighty, put on a smile and pretend you’re THRILLED_. “Sure, I guess. Sorry if I don’t seem thrilled…But I’m kinda not. Not sorry, not thrilled. Been asked this a lot a kid.” She nodded towards the row of seats across from her and Barbara sat down, clicking the pen she had in her hand as she folded one leg over the other as a makeshift table for her notepad. “Before I start asking any questions are there any topics you don’t want me to ask about?”  
  
“Not that I can think of…I’ll just let ya know if it happens.”  
  
“Alright. First, how did you know or learn that you had inherited the serum?”  
  
“My parents considered the possibility of it before I was born, and after I was they tested me for that and my dad’s cybernetic linkage. Positive results, as you already know.”  
  
“I see. You might not know the answer to this question but are you capable of passing it on?”  
  
“Dunno,” she shrugged as her thoughts immediately bolted to another realm and she became fidgety. _Why am I even thinking about that? Crap and a half, we’ve only been ‘together’ for…two and a half months if you count when we first met. All those times he wished he could strangle me…Such fond memories for such an atypical pairing.  Dani, stop it. Get your head back in Midgard._ “I received it from a direct source, someone who was injected. I haven’t been injected; the SSS isn’t my own. I think it would stop at me because of that. I carry but can’t provide, I guess is what I’m saying.” Barbara nodded as she scribbled down Danielle’s answers in bullet point style. As the conversation continued she remembered Loki’s advice of taking advantage of the life she was born into and started to engage more in their conversation. As she did she had to suppress a grin. _She has my approval. Guess he figured out Aunt Natasha’s a lesbian. Took him long enough. She really needs to be careful when her eyes start to wander…How many times did I catch her checking out Hill?_  
  
In the therapist’s office the information shared, despite the hour and a half long session, was extremely succinct as there wasn’t much to say. “It seems that she is struggling in regards to identity. She has created a distinct wedge between what she shows and shares with you, and what she does with others. All of her life she has stayed out of the public eye which is understandable if she isn’t comfortable. But it also extends to her day-to-day life, such as being at school. She will only share what she thinks needs to shared in effort, to use her words, ‘keep it quick and dirty’. And the root of this, which was something she herself recently realized or already knew but recently accepted, is a fear of her own emotions.”  
  
Steve rubbed his chin in thought. “That’s a strange thought, Dani fearing anything other than a failing grade or the premature balding that ran in my father’s family. But a fear of her own feelings?”  
  
“There is a general fear of exposing and sharing of emotions. Even with herself. This shielded her from certain feelings…such as a very new one she has been experiencing which she said terrifies her. Not scares, but **terrifies**. She was shaking when elaborating on it, and experienced at least two flashbacks. She wouldn’t share them claiming that they were pleasant memories and reflecting on them breaks her heart.” She looked down at his clipboard. “‘My heart has just begun to beat, and it’s trying to survive on its own now, but it’s being crushed by the weight of reality’. Those were her words.”  
  
“Terrifies…?” Tony asked dubiously, then slowly nodded in realization. “First crush. Practically in love. Yeah, she never had that problem with her family.”  
  
“Something else she mentioned is that she’s notorious for giving effortlessly but reluctant, sometimes refusing, to receive.” Tony snorted and Steve sighed, indicating prior knowledge of the unfortunate truth. “She spoke briefly of the time she spent as a prisoner as well, and the torture she experienced. It didn’t seem to affect her as much as it would most but do not be surprised if she experiences flashbacks, nightmares, or triggers.”  
  
“What’s your suggestion then?” the oldest asked.  
  
“I don’t feel comfortable sending her in the direction of a psychiatrist for medication, especially of the psychotropic variety, considering her incredibly unique biochemical makeup. Side effects are already hard enough to predict as is, and it’s my understanding that she’ll be taking your place temporarily here Mr. Stark. I would like to meet with her twice a week for the next six months, every Sunday evening before she has to go ‘back to the grind’ and every Friday evening to see how her week has gone. Any days in which she has to go out in the field as part of the Avengers I would like to see her then as well to ensure she doesn’t experience combat stress. If you’re looking for a diagnosis I believe she is suffering from situational depression accompanied by generalized anxiety, and PTSD from her time as a prisoner.”  
  
“How was it you got my kid to open up to you so easily when she has difficulty sharing stuff with us?”  
  
“I found myself wondering the same thing Mr. Stark and had asked her that myself. She said she simply needed to get it all off of her chest and receive a little professional feedback. Just to vent, essentially. That worries me as well. I wonder how seriously she’s taking her condition.”  
  
“Knowing Dani,” Steve began with a heavy sigh, “she isn’t because she doesn’t want others to worry about her. Which only makes us worry about her more, naturally.”

* * *

  
**That Night**  
  
  
Danielle walked up to her bedroom window and brushed the curtain aside, leaning forward towards the bay window. The view of the Manhattan skyline greeted her like an old friend. She forced a smile as she sat down on the windowsill, pulling her legs up to her chest. “Still pretty,” she whispered to herself, leaning her head back against the wooden frame behind her. She lazily rolled her head to the side and stared out the window blankly, imagining the fires of Muspelheim taking the place of the city lights. She closed her eyes and slowly the images from that night came together in her mind. She saw the ethereal red light off in the distance of the clear night sky, the dim glow radiating from the golden balcony, the endless expanse of forestland speckled with clearings, the tree Fenrir was tied to, and how it seemed to stand out amongst all the rest. She remembered the startled look on Loki’s face when she joked about how she had come because she wanted to cuddle, the childlike wonderment she felt when he told her Atlantis was real and the warm feeling in the pit of her stomach when she added it to their list of secrets, how an arm around her shoulders was comparable to her entire body bundled up in an impregnable security blanket, how she couldn’t shake the thought that he was supposed to be cold to the touch and how relieved she was that he wasn’t, and how silence had never sounded so beautiful before that night. She sighed blissfully and when she opened her eyes instead of the natural beauty of Asgard her eyes met the metallic, boisterous, city. For something so large and full of people is felt exceptionally empty.  
  
The lights, sounds, and large buildings made her feel strangely tense, almost suffocated. She had grown up in New York and was very accustomed to congested traffic, heavy streams of pedestrians, obnoxiously bright colors and loud noises in all directions, and the buildings that as a child she thought were so tall climbing them would take you to Asgard. Everything she once equated with home seemed overwhelming. She held her hands up to her face and saw they were shaking. Heaving a frustrated sigh she trudged over to her bed and tried to get comfortable under her many layers of blankets. She searched for her Iron Man plushie she still had from childhood and hugged it tightly.  
  
“J.A.R.V.I.S., can you dim the lights please?” she asked. Talking to no one also felt strange. The lights in her room went down and everything was as it usually was when she tried to sleep. After fifteen minutes of tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position she sat up angrily and huffed. “J.A.R.V.I.S., can you block out all external noises and play, I dunno, nature-y sounds? But no crickets or bugs or anything like that. Just something relaxing and…untouched. Pristine.”  
  
“I’ll see what I can do, Danielle.” Her room became silent and the AI started playing a soft breeze and the rustling of leaves. “Can you also add the occasional wolf howl? No particular time interval, just every now and then.”  
  
“A wolf howl? Exactly what environment are you trying to emulate? Canada?”  
  
“A familiar one.” As J.A.R.V.I.S. processed her request she curled up into a ball and closed her eyes, still holding the plushie, and tried to imagine that the light creeping in from across the room was from a clear Asgardian night sky. She tried to imagine the recording a wolf howling in the distance was Fenrir. But no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t rid herself of the unbearable loneliness she found herself suffering from. It’s impossible to emulate the sound of voice you’re afraid of forgetting, a mischievous little grin that always sent your heart aflutter, and a touch meant for you and you alone. She squeezed her eyes tightly and breathed in deeply, hoping to get through the night without having to cry herself to sleep. Her hope was wasted.

* * *

  
**November 29th, Evening**  
  
  
Normally Danielle’s birthdays were an at-home celebration but for once she had suggested going out for dinner. She signed a few autographs without complaints or frustration for the first time, and even took a picture with a fan. She was slowly but comfortably adjusting to the life she had been born into. After returning home she changed into her pajamas and sprawled out on her bed, laying on her stomach. “Hey J.A.R.V.I.S., can you turn on a Top 40 station or something? It’s too quiet in here.”  
  
“Right away Danielle. How was your birthday dinner?” She rolled over onto her back and sat up as the sounds of the radio started to play from the entertainment system she had set up in her room. “It went well, much to my surprise. Did some more autographs, even took a picture. Guess fans aren’t so crazy after all, it’s just those idiots I go to school with. One little girl even asked me to get an autograph for her little brother who was in the hospital being treated for leukemia. Kinda killed my appetite but my dad said that’s actually pretty common.”  
  
“I’m glad to hear things are going better for you. And your therapist meetings?” She tugged nervously at her blankets and immediately grabbed her Iron Man plushie, squeezing it tightly. “They’re…going. There’s still a lot to do. A lot of noise in my head. So much noise in my head…”  
  
“I apologize for triggering you, Danielle. Perhaps the radio will help you relax a little.” She nodded slowly as J.A.R.V.I.S. was replaced by an overly enthusiastic radio personality. “Hey all you listeners, it’s after 9:30 and you know what that means! Time to dig up the oldies and goodies and get nostalgic because we’re going all the way back to the turn of the century, kicking it off with a request from 2006. Anybody remember ‘Hey There Delilah’? Who could forget with all the airplay it had! And what a beautiful song it is. Everyone knows distance makes the heart grow fonder!”  
  
She groaned and sat up. _Of all the songs…_ She was about to ask J.A.R.V.I.S. to just shut it off until she lost her voice from shock. “This one is coming in from a guy who unfortunately can’t be with his better half in NYC right now due to familial obligations, and on her birthday no less. So Danielle, this song is dedicated to you from your ‘dearly beloved trouble maker’. Awww, that’s cute…” Her jaw dropped. “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” she breathed as a gentle wind hit her window. She jumped and turned her head. “Is that…?” She crawled out of bed, still holding her Iron Man plushie and approached her window. New York was finally experiencing its first snowfall of the year. She watched a tiny snowflake hit the window and shimmer light green before it melted away. She looked up at the sky and shook her head.  
  
“Are you the reason the weathermen are always wrong?” she whispered to herself, a small smile working its way across her lips. She breathed onto the window and in the condensation drew a heart with ‘D+L’ inside. “Just eight more years,” she whispered to herself as she returned to bed. Had she been paying closer attention she would’ve heard the crackling sound made as the heart and letters began frost over. When she lay back down she felt indescribably relaxed until her head hit the pillow, landing on something hard. “What the shit?” she growled to herself as she turned on her bedside lamp. On her pillow was hardcover, slick looking, brand new copy of _Demian_. She rolled her eyes playfully and then noticed a little piece of paper sticking out of the book. She pulled it out and read it quietly to herself.  
  
“‘Congratulations on surviving another year on your miserable little planet’.” She couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Maybe long distance isn’t so bad,” she said quietly as she set the book on her bedside table and grabbed a picture frame off of it. Inside was a photo of her and her parents from a trip they took when she was eleven to Boston National Historical Park. She opened it up and slipped the note in front of the picture and placed it back on her table. As she closed her eyes and exhaled deeply she added in a sleepy whisper, “Long distance has its perks…Never know what to expect…When to expect it…Not that I ever really did in the first place…”

* * *

  
**Next February, Asgard (Seven Years and Nine Months Remaining)**  
  
  
Hardly to Odin’s surprise but much to his delight Loki was surpassing his expectations insofar as the intended outcome of the eight year separation period. As Danielle had predicted he was finally allowed to see Sleipnir again, whom Loki feared may have forgotten him after all the time that had elapsed since he last saw his song. He was still heavily restricted in his mobility to almost exclusively the palace, but no one thought much of it if he ever left to see Fenrir after his lover-to-be had essentially tamed the ‘feral creature’, destroying the prophecies of Odin’s death by his jowls in the process.  
  
It went without saying that despite the progress, which did take some by surprise, he was suffering from a miserable heartache. Heimdall had, just as he informed Danielle, told the Allfather all he had witnessed between the two of them. Upon hearing of their past interactions and gaining a better grasp of exactly why the two were so dedicated to each other he had begun to debate the possibility of another stipulation after the eight years had elapsed, branded as punishment by protocol but truly in the best interest of all involved parties from his perspective.  
  
As far as the royal family was concerned it was starting to feel as though things were gradually returning to the way they were. As he told Odin during the trial Danielle had instilled in him a habit of using ‘father’ and ‘brother’ when referring to Odin and Thor, though he rarely did so to their faces. And despite the noticeable changes in countenance he had been relatively conditioned to enjoy his solitude, save for the company of one certain human girl or his sons. When not with his sons or in his room Loki was, as per usual, in the library.  
  
“Whatever it is, can it wait another five minutes?” Loki asked monotone, not even bothering to look up from the book he was reading. Odin shook his head. “No, I’m afraid it can’t.” Sighing he dog-eared the page and closed it, the book being the very one Danielle had found during their most awkward encounter in the bookstore last October. “What is it?”  
  
He shrugged off Loki’s standoffishness. He had been understandably irritable towards Odin despite the character changes because of the eight year separate sentence, but considering the familial terms Loki used from time to time his temperament was easy for the head of the pantheon to overlook.  
  
“I need to ask you something. About Danielle.”  
  
“At least it’s a pleasant topic…What about her?”  
  
Odin already knew the answer to his question but he had to hear it straight from Loki as he continued careful deliberation of this new idea of his. He had yet to present it to Frigga but the queen was no fool, and already suspected it herself. “We all saw firsthand how she went vastly out of her way for you, and naturally you appreciated that as would anyone. But do you only appreciate what she did for you, are you blindly infatuated after the horrendous outcomes of the mistakes we now call Angrboda and Sigyn, or all you truly falling for her?”  
  
 _The gall you have…_ Loki didn’t even know how to begin answering that question. “If it were merely appreciation,” he began slowly, “what reason would I have to tell her I would die for her? What reason would I have to force her to straighten out her priorities and not place me over her family’s trust in her? You can’t even begin to fathom the depths of this emptiness you’ve created, nor the resentment she no doubt holds towards you for forcing this separation despite the potentially beneficial outcomes. I…I had adjusted so much to her presence that her absence is like a parallel reality, or a never ending nightmare. It’s so alarming sometimes that I have to remind myself she wasn’t kidnapped again, or in the company of Hel right now because there is nothing else to compare it to. This is the third time she’s been forcibly taken from me! If it was nothing more than infatuation why do I feel that emptiness? An emptiness which nothing else, no one else could ever fill.”  
  
“You sound possessive over her,” the aged God remarked. Biting his tongue he replied, “Far from, just very protective. If anything _she’s_ the possessive one. The clinging, good Gods the clinging...I say that with all the love and affection in the worlds, mind you. She may be a parasite but…” He stopped for a moment, a tiny grin working its way across his lips as mind wandered to Midgard momentarily. Looking back at Odin he asked, “Where is all of this coming from? And why the comparison to Angrboda and Sigyn? This separation has more to it than my having to prove anything to you, or the rest of Asgard for that matter, doesn’t it? If it were only that your line of questioning wouldn’t consist of mentioning Angrboda or Sigyn. All you would concern yourself with would be the reasoning behind irrevocable attachment I have to Danielle.”  
  
He chuckled under his breath. “I suppose it’s safe to assume you can see the direction I’m taking this. I should have expected as much. Your mother had made mention of it to her before she left. She assumed that you would have figured it out yourself by now.”  
  
“I have. And it certainly isn’t a pleasant thought.”  
  
“I’m considering the possibility of-”  
  
“Absolutely not,” Loki interrupted briskly, pointing a finger in warning. “That will not be forced upon her.”  
  
“Then how will you ever see her again if you must remain here, when the time comes?”  
  
“That isn’t the point, Odin. Though I can’t object to the prospect I’m not particularly fond of the idea of forcing her into it. This isn’t a matter of being able to see her or not. She does have a life of her own outside of this place, outside of your agenda. What would possess you into thinking that would be a good idea?”  
  
“I was trying to keep your best interest in mind, considering the possibility of an even longer separation if there were to be a coronation anytime soon. I only want you to be happy, my son.”  
  
“Just as I have hers in mind. Perhaps this will make you reconsider your stance. She has a short temper. I still have yet to see the full extent of it and what I have seen thus far is surprisingly hostile to say the very least, for one who appears so reserved and harmless upon first glance. If you, the one whose authority she cares little to none for, and the one who took me away from her, were to suddenly rip her away from her family too…To be honest I fear for your life just imagining the screaming fit she would subject you to.” _Now there’s a delightful mental image…Fenrir is nothing compared to one of her temper tantrums._  
  
“Do you think she would object? You know her best.”  
  
“I cannot say for certain, which is why I will act as if she would object until I can answer that question.”  
  
“I see. That is all I wished to know. If it makes even the slightest bit of a difference,” he added over his shoulder as he made his departure, “despite her abrasive nature she would make an excellent queen. She’s certainly proven her ability to make necessary sacrifices to defend that which matters most to her.” Loki ignored him and was about to return to his reading until Odin’s interruption was replaced by a very chipper looking Thor.  
  
 _Just what I needed…_ “What do you want?” he asked with extreme annoyance. Before answering his question Thor looked to the doorway and back to Loki. “What was father doing here?”  
  
“Being an asinine cretin who needs to stop indulging in his very bizarre habit of forcibly relocating people to Asgard with ulterior motive. What do you want?” he repeated. Thor extended a hand, holding a folded up piece of green paper covered in golden heart-shaped stickers. “Danielle gave this to me to pass along to you,” he replied in a hushed voice. “Today is a Midgardian holiday celebrating love, and so she wanted you to have this.” Loki eagerly snatched it from him and curiously raised an eyebrow after looking at what was written on the outside. “Why does it say ‘burn after reading’?”  
  
“I don’t know. She said it was for your eyes only...and anyone who violated that command would have theirs scraped out with a toothpick.” Loki chuckled at her words. _You’re so deliciously amusing when you threaten to compromise the well-being of others, my dear,_ he thought fondly. With a shrug he opened it up, reading the message inside in his head.  
  
 **Iron Man is red, Captain America is blue. If you ever tried to take over Midgard again I’d definitely help you.** There was a heart a smiley face drawn next to the poem. On the other side of the card she wrote in large letters **Seriously, BURN THIS**. He immediately incinerated it and with a wave of his hand the ashes were cast into oblivion.  
  
“What…” he began slowly, a combination of confused, shocked, and even a tad nervous. “What was she thinking?!” he exclaimed and dropped his face into his palm. “I was right,” he muttered, “She’s going to be the death of me. That girl is going to be the death of me. I am going to die because of her. She will be my downfall.”  
  
“Was it really that unpleasant of a note?” Thor asked cocking his head to the side, surprised by his brother’s reaction, especially at the mention of Danielle being his ‘downfall’. Looking up, his eyes narrowed in frustration he said quietly, “I want you to tell that girl she is a fucking idiot.”  
  
“…It couldn’t have been that bad,” the thunder God replied doubtfully.  
  
“I beg to differ. Honestly Danielle…What am I going to do with you?” he sighed, trying not to grin. Even if it was incriminating he still found it hilarious.  
  
“Oh, I had almost forgotten. She wanted me to give you this as well. She said it was long overdue.”  
  
“Not the essay again…” Much to his delight Thor instead pulled out a folded up photograph and handed it to Loki. On the back she scribbled **You wanted to see if I could lift it, remember?** He opened it up and had to try his absolute hardest not to burst out laughing. Danielle had taken a picture of herself holding Mjolnir over a sleeping Thor’s head in the middle of the night, pretending that she was about to strike him with it. Thor saw the amusement on his brother’s face as he folded it back up, a hand over his mouth.  
  
“Dare I ask?” Loki shook his head. “You don’t want to see it,” he said through his fingers as he suppressed his laughter. “Trust me Thor, you really don’t.”  
  
“If you’re telling me to trust you then that probably means I do.”  
  
“No, you don’t. You really don’t.” _Then again…that little poem of hers was rather incriminating…Had it fallen into the wrong hands she would’ve been in a great deal of trouble…Possibly myself as well… He eyed the photograph. And if this fell into the wrong hands…_ He lazily tossed it onto the table. “Oops. Clumsy me. I assure you that you aren’t going to like what you see.” _Let’s see you try and pout your way out of this one, darling_.  
  
“That’s for me to deci- WHAT IN ODIN’S NAME IS SHE DOING?!”  
  
Loki smirked. “It would appear that she’s lifting Mjolnir. Though I could be wrong,” he said sarcastically. “You might want to have a word with her parents about that,” he suggested thoughtfully and then added with a hint of urgency, “Who knows what she might try to do next?” Thor nodded. “Yes, I agree. I tried to warn them, but they just wouldn’t listen...” Loki shrugged. “She is their dearly beloved daughter. Can you blame them?” _This had better not come back to me. She’s the one who took the picture. And thought it a good idea in the first place._

* * *

  
**October, Danielle’s Room (Seven Years and One Month Remaining)**  
  
  
“Ready to stream J.A.R.V.I.S.?”  
  
“We go live in three, two, one.” The webcam on Danielle’s laptop lit up and she waved at it. “Hi everybody, Dani here. In my last video I mentioned I had exciting news to share, pending finalization of certain details. After long talks with my parents and my school, I’m graduating a semester early…and going to college in Scandinavia! I’m caught between Iceland and Norway, but I’m leaning towards the former. This is gonna be my first time outside the country without my family so I’m super excited! I’m going into mechanical engineering, linguistics, and –shock!- world literature. I’m also thinking of biochemistry, electrical engineering, theoretical physics, and rhetoric and composition later. Trying to outdo my dad? You guys are silly.” She giggled. “OK, yeah, I totally am. I’ll have reached my decision by January and will let you know then. Also, yes, DIGITAL is no longer on the Avengers roster.” She shrugged. “I love it, I really do, but the suit was never built to be one of ‘Earth’s Mightiest Heroes’ as I made pretty clear when my parents and I had to go shut up certain political peoples…That’s all so I’m gonna dive into some of the fanmail. Shall we?”  
  
She opened up the email account which was flooded with questions and comments from members of her fansite. “Alrighty, here we go. Laine from Estonia wrote…Holy shit! She sent in an AMAZING oil pastel painting of me in action using DIGITAL. That’s going up on the front page of the site so the rest of you can see it. Laine, you are super talented. Thank you for the beautiful picture. I gotta admit, I’m a little jealous.” With a click she was on to the next one.  
  
“Molly from Florida writes ‘Hey Danielle, just watched your video, and I think it’s great that you’re going into hard sciences. You set a great example for girls since we’re always discouraged from studying science and women never get a spot in the history books. My sister didn’t know what engineering was until she saw you on TV and now we can’t tear her away from books on it. She’s six. Also she says hi’. You’re right Molly, women are generally discouraged from pursuing the hard sciences. There are studies showing that, because of old gender stereotypes which have yet to be uprooted, teachers actually _don’t know_ how to respond to girls who show interest so their skills are never cultivated. I say hi back to your sister, and I’d also like to mention you are a very fast typer. Or were you typing that while watching?” She grinned. “Regardless, thank you. I know I’m not the only person advocating for women in the scientific academic fields but it’s really awesome to know that I have made an impact on someone. I wish your sister all the best in her pursuits, and to you as well in whatever you’re going into. Next up!” _Click!_  
  
“Emyr from Wales asks ‘We’ve been hearing about a comic series about DIGITAL for awhile. Any updates?’. Good question. There will indeed be a series called _Going DIGITAL_. Why the wait? I had to convince the publisher to let my father be the illustrator. Not only is Captain America badass in combat, he’s a badass artist. When it’ll be out, I have no idea. Since I’m not technically an Avenger and haven’t had radical adventures of my own the arcs are going to be original and, at my request in the supernatural and fantasy genres. I did that as a challenge to the writers since you’d think DIGITAL would be sci-fi, cyberpunk, or a regular ‘ole superhero. There’s going to be a bit of mythological influence as well. Think about the region I’m going to school to and you can probably figure out which pantheon.” _Click!_  
  
She paused when she saw the next name. _That’s…I’m pretty sure that name is Icelandic and Old Norse for ‘trustworthy’. Oh you mother fucker. Please don’t tell me you thought I wouldn’t catch it._ “Tryggvi from Iceland wants to know why Scandinavia, and why Iceland versus Norway. I know a little Old Norse and Iceland would be the ideal place to become even more familiar with it, especially if I’m going into linguistics. But Norway has a very rich history when it comes to Scandinavia as a whole and that would be super fun to explore. There is another reason I’m thinkin’ Iceland though, and some of you guys are gonna think I’m crazy for even believing this but I have a natural attraction to crazy stuff.” _So THAT’S why I fell for Loki! It all makes sense now…_  
  
“In Norse mythology there’s an underwater creature that some say you can see off the Icelandic coasts. Jörmungandr is a giant serpent supposedly wrapped around Midgard, the human world, giving it a nice big hug. Iceland is the closest you can get to Nordic culture today so that’s probably why they say you see him chillin’ like a villain over there. Sometimes he even pops up out of the water. I wanna see if I can find him. And no, I’m not gonna share the location if I do. More so for the well-being of other people than his own because…he’s a giant serpent, he has no reason to worry about fanatical humans that might wanna capture him. Furthermore he’s the son of my favorite God in the Norse pantheon, Loki.”  
  
 _Feelings, feelings, feelings, I hate you, I hate you, feelings, feelings, I hate you, don’t blush Dani! Screw you for doing this to me during a livestream. Vengeance commencing in three, two…_ “Mature language coming up, you have been warned. So Loki is a total **jackass** , always getting into trouble. He’s able to lie to anyone and tell when others are lying. And did I mention he’s a **jackass**? ‘Cause he _totally_ is. Example. One of the poems which we get the myth from is the _Lokasenna_ and there’s one part where Loki basically crashes a party the other Gods are holding and starts running his mouth off like a mother fucker just _beggin’_ to get the **shit beat out of him**. What a dick. The God Heimdall calls him out on being _toooooooooootally_ **shitfaced** , kinda like that old internet meme ‘Go home, you’re drunk’, but Loki is like ‘Fuck you, I do what I want!’. Luckily Thor, who is like the Hercules of the Norse, shows up and threatens to pummel him into the next millennium with this super powerful hammer only he can wield. And though Loki is an **arrogant jackass** he’s not stupid, so he figures it’s time to skedaddle. But not only does he leave, he uses his ability to shapeshift and like the bitch he is turns himself into a **fucking salmon** and **hides**. Yeah, you heard me, a **salmon**. Something that you can easily catch, behead, and gut. Also I think salmon smells terrible. So why is he my favorite, despite the fact that he’s a son of fuck? Well he clearly has a sense of humor, albeit a fucked up one. And he’s supposed to be pretty hot and charming. It evens out.” _Get mad at me after that last part.  I dare you._  
  
“I’m gonna end it early today because I have some school stuff to go over, so I’ll do another video in a few days and try and answer as many as possible then. And to all my Georgian fans and viewers, Happy Mtskhetoba-Svetitskhovloba!” She waved again. “Bye guys. J.A.R.V.I.S., if you please.” The camera turned off and a holographic version of the video showed up in front of her frame by frame. “Time to archive this…My hair looks like crap here. Alrighty, let’s view and review before saving it. Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait.” She heard a scraping sound and looked down at her desk. Something was carving itself into the wood, that something being the rune Hagalaz. Literally translating into “hail”, the rune signified an impending illness. As hail itself it symbolized bad luck and a time of destruction which, much like a hailstorm, must be endured. She laughed it off and with a shake of her head said aloud, “Really classy, ya crybaby. Time to return to editing…”  
  
The next day Danielle awoke with an inexplicable case of laryngitis. As she lay in bed coughing up a storm she glared at the ceiling, holding up her middle finger for four hours straight in hopes that he would at some point see. Early on in her miserable state she had an epiphany. Everytime Loki expressed the desire to silence her he was referring to magically taking her voice away, upon which she called his bluff. Not once did he allude to silencing her via illness. All she could think to herself was, when the time came, he was banished to the couch indefinitely.

* * *

  
**December, Asgard (Four Years and Eleven Months Remaining)**  
  
  
When the Gods divided up the human world amongst themselves it had been decided, for continuity sake, that their own respective realms reflect that of their territory. As such Asgard, mimicking the weather patterns of Scandinavia, was covered in a fluffy white blanket of powdery snow. And as much as he enjoyed fooling the climatologists of Midgard and the creating the occasional snow-related birthday present for Danielle (such as he did the year their separation began) Loki despised winter. Even as a child when he had absolutely no knowledge of his jotunn blood it made him feel uncomfortable. He hated the temperature, being outside, the sight of snow, how the season turned everyone into mindless creatures possessed by incessant glee, and above all he hated the Midgardian mistletoe tradition. The water barrier in his room has frozen over, keeping out all precipitation and the cold temperatures, but he turned it green so it was somewhat tolerable. But he kept the balcony curtains closed so he wouldn’t have to look at it.  
  
When Thor came with another message from Danielle the timing couldn’t have been anymore perfect. It was Christmas on Midgard and he was trying to think of something to do for her; even if she wasn’t a materialist that didn’t mean he couldn’t give her something. As he lay on his bed, hands resting on his stomach while brainstorming, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something missing in the space between his fingers. Another book would be a cop-out and he didn’t even know the titles she lacked in the first place, he had already played with the weather again on her birthday (much to the annoyance of his mother, who is the weaver of the clouds), and a written gift had become ‘her territory’ for better or for worse after the Valentine’s day poem she gave him years ago. If Tony thought that finding a way to divide by zero was catastrophic, words couldn’t even begin to describe what stumping Loki was.  
  
He sat up and extended his right arm, palm upward and a green orb appeared which slowly shifted into a crystal ball-like structure of pure magic. He had looked into creating it since the day he came back to Asgard to see Danielle from time to time but to say he didn’t occasionally abuse it would be a gross understatement, hence her ‘inexplicable’ case of laryngitis. It was nowhere near as powerful as Heimdall’s gift of sight and it was rather taxing but he didn’t care. The fatigue was a meager price if it caused him to fall asleep as he almost always dreamt of her. As the image cleared and every blur smoothed out he had a perfect view of the common room of the Avenger’s mansion. Pepper and Natasha were socializing almost exclusively with themselves near the kitchen, Bruce was trying to fix one of the flickering lights on the tree which was annoying him to no end, Tony was spiking his eggnog with some of Natasha’s whipped cream flavored vodka and clinked his mug with Steve's, and Danielle was engaging in a wrapping paper throwing war with Clint for no reason other than the fact that he never missed his mark and she was still quite the brat (and no one doubted that she always would be to some degree or another). He hoped Thor’s lack of presence meant he was either on his way or already in Asgard. Danielle suddenly stopped, staring off in another direction and subsequently getting pelted in the face by a ball of wrapping paper. She scowled briefly and returned to the little war, proceeding to retaliate. He looked to see what had caught her attention and saw Pepper holding up mistletoe over herself Natasha, giggling slightly.  
  
“Even you become irked by the practice? I truly have been a good influence on you,” he muttered to himself as he reveled in her smiling face for a few more seconds before casting the orb away. The sound of unmistakable heavy footsteps coming in his direction caught his attention and his door flung open. _At least Danielle knocked before barging in…_ “The door is there for a reason, Thor,” he said somewhat curtly.  
  
“Apologies, but I felt this to be an urgent matter,” he said as he approached his brother.  
  
“Is it from Danielle?” he asked hopefully.  
  
“Yes,” he replied and handed him yet another folded up piece of green paper. “Then I suppose I can forgive you. But just this once.”  
  
“She said to tell you that before you open it you need to remember that she…How did she word it? ‘Sometimes you have an idea and think it’s a good idea, then realize it’s a terrible idea, but you do it anyway’. And as such she humbly requested that you do your best to maintain your sense of humor.”  
  
“Humbly requested? An odd disclaimer.” He waited for a moment and then glanced at Thor. “Is there a reason you’re still here?”  
  
“Right, sorry, I’ll leave you to your gift!”  
  
“Stop being so cheerful, it’s annoying,” Loki griped as a beaming Thor departed, accidentally slamming the door behind him making Loki jump. “Idiot,” he muttered under his breath as he returned his attention to the card. “Maintain my sense of humor she asks? So that’s why it’s in writing. She knows I’ll probably want to choke her after reading it. Smart girl, as always.” He folded it open.  
  
 **Hi favorite person! I know you hate winter and I’d give anything (except my library or ability to consume beef lo mein) to be there with you. But sadly that’s not a thing. Just four more years and eleven months! I’m happy to report that the therapist I was seeing thinks my depression and anxiety are gone. And I’m done being terrified of feelings. As for the PTSD, flashbacks are still a thing but they’ve decreased in frequency and aren’t triggered as easily. No more nightmares either! Did Thor tell you I saw Jörmungandr when I was in Iceland? Just like Fenrir he’s SOOOOO adorable! He even let me pet him and started acting like a little baby the same way Fenrir does around me. I thought Thor was fucking with me when he told me he was around there, trying to get my hopes up as revenge for fucking with him which I sadly can’t do anymore after the Mjolnir incident. FUCK YOU FOR SHOWING HIM THAT. Anyway, I decided to give you this after I randomly remembered it. It’s a stupid silly Christmas carol parody I wrote when I was six. The only reason I was able to remember the whole thing was because I came up with it to entertain myself whilst awaiting punishment for calling my teacher a cunt. If Thor didn’t pass along the disclaimer PLEASE please please please please try and keep a sense of humor when reading it okay? It was kinda all I could come up with on such short notice. I’m house hunting right now. Yup, moving out of the mansion! My poor parents are in such a tizzy over it…It’s funny. That and preparing to be CEO…But that’s a story for a rainy day, not a snowy one. Anyway I hope this cheers you up even if only a little bit. Counting down the days. No seriously, I made a program that has a countdown going. I miss you more than words can say Mr. Nearest and Dearest to My Heart. –Danielle**  
  
“The same to you, dear,” he said quietly before looking at the other side of the card. At the top it read _Loki the Blue Skinned Reindeer_. He narrowed his eyes. “That explains the disclaimer…Better than nothing I suppose. Maybe.” He continued to read the song parody in his head.  
  
 _Loki the blue-skinned reindeer_

_Had the Glow Stick of Destiny_

_When he tried to take over_

_Midgard With an army of Chitauri_  
  
“…it’s not as bad as I thought it would be...Could be worse…”  
  
 _All of the rest of Asgard_

_Exiled him for being a bitch_

_And when he attacked Manhattan_

_The Avengers came, he got his ass kicked_  
  
“… **what?** ”  
  
 _After Thor was banished to Earth, Odin came to say_

_“Loki, did ya see your skin is blue? I took the Casket of Ancient Winters and you too!”_

Loki started to shake angrily. “She was only six when she wrote it, she was only six when she wrote it…” he repeated through grit teeth.  
  
 _That’s when he got really crabby_

_And tried committing fratricide_

_Loki the blue-skinned reindeer_

_If he ever found this I think I would die_  
  
“She thought she might die? What **astounding** insight she possessed as a child.” He immediately incinerated the half of the card with the poem and caught the other half in his hand once the flame extinguished. “I think I know the perfect gift. Someone is clearly begging for another case of laryngitis. Far be it from me to **ever** disappoint her.”

* * *

  
**October 31st, Stark Industries CEO Office (11:28 PM, Thirty-Two Minutes Remaining)**  
  
  
“Finally…done…” Danielle heaved a sigh as her sore hands fell from her keyboard and onto her lap. “Fucking financial paperwork…At least being stuck here late means I don’t have to deal with trick-or-treaters. And Pepper was nice enough to bring me candy!” She squealed with delight as she rose from her desk chair and grabbed her jacket off the back. She shut down her computer, put on her jacket, and threw her shoulder bag on. After turning out the lights and locking her office door she quickly made her way through rows of empty cubicles in the dark floor, lit only by the city lights from outside. Danielle became an absolute workaholic after becoming CEO. When Pepper and Natasha had married two years ago she didn’t want her to have to pick between work and home, and so Danielle let Pepper step down and took the position but she stayed on as her assistant just as she once was for her dad. Danielle had made a deal with Tony that someday, whenever that day may be and whatever the cause for her eventual leave, he would become CEO of Stark Industries once more so Pepper wouldn’t be forced back into the position.  
  
After she finished her studies in Europe and bought her own house she shrank away from the limelight again, claiming that she had obtained her degrees for a reason and intended to put them to use, starting out as an intern at the company and occasional repairwoman, mechanic, linguist and cryptologist, and scientist for S.H.I.E.L.D. Of course most of her free time had been devoted to working with her dad in the lab, but regardless of how she spent it she was always working. School, her once highest priority, had been replaced with her job.  
  
It took a slight toll on her personality. She was a little more serious, trading in a handful of her wit, boundless energy, and playfulness for practicality, organization, and responsibility. She still had plenty of moments where the old Danielle, the real Danielle, would shine through but her work ethic almost completely dominated her life now. Sometimes bordering on downright aloof, Steve had harkened her personality change as a way to fill that gaping chasm in her heart after she had learned to embrace her emotional self, only to find its complement was still in Asgard. All of that was about to unravel.  
  
Two of the conditions Tony and Steve made when Danielle insisted that she was ready to move out was that the house be close to the mansion and that they create a high-tech security system only they knew how to override; not even J.A.R.V.I.S. had access to the information in the event that the AI malfunctioned. To access just the driveway she had to undergo a retina scan, and a voice confirmation as well as entering a keycode only she knew. The garage was the same, and the front door was all of that plus a fingerprint scan and a blood sample, something no one could ever replicate due to the abilities she had been born with.  
  
Aside from her personality her appearance had undergone a few changes as well. Her honey blonde hair had been shortened to settle on her shoulders and her bangs were now swept to the side to keep them out of her face. The only thing professional about her look was her attire as her attitude compensated for the dark green dye she had weaved through her bangs and multiple piercings running along both ears. On the inside of her left wrist she had a tattoo of Captain America’s shield and on the right was Iron Man’s faceplate. On the middle of her back in thin cursive was the _Demian_ quote ‘The bird struggles out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever wants to be born must destroy a world. The bird flies to God. That God's name is Abraxas’. Finally there was a tattoo only her family about just above her right hip bone, two serpents intertwined making a ‘S’ shape. She did her best to keep it hidden as the media would have a field day if word of her sporting the symbol of Loki began circulating. Her father looked ready to faint when she started inking herself, but he almost did when he learned his daughter had Loki’s symbol there of all places as he found it suggestive. Despite Tony’s mixed feelings on the pairing he found the location quite tasteful compared to far more suggestive places like a tramp stamp or her inner thigh (the latter would have made Steve faint without question).  
  
 **11:50 PM**  
  
After Danielle got home she had a very late dinner of leftover beef lo mein and some of the Halloween candy Pepper had gotten for her. She sat at her kitchen table and flipped through her planner to review her schedule for November when something caught her attention. “Why do I have tomorrow circled a bajillion times but nothing written down?” she muttered to herself, and then jumped in excitement, screaming into her hands as the planner fell onto the floor. “Holy shit,” she gasped, trying to catch her breath. “What time is it?!” she squealed excitedly as she pulled out her cell phone. 11:54. She glanced at her microwave. 11:54. Her stove top and wall clock both read 11:53 so she ignored them. She got up from the table and started pacing, glancing at one of the many clocks at roughly twenty second intervals.  
  
 **11:55**  
  
She fanned herself with her shirt as she started to sweat nervously. “Good Gods I can’t take this. Just relax, and the next thing ya know it’ll be November 1st. I think I’ve forgotten how to relax…The joys of big business.” She lazily threw her jacket onto her living room couch and curled up in the corner, trying to get comfortable but her leg wouldn’t stop bouncing. She was about to look at the wall clock but quickly shielded her eyes. “No, no, patience. Breathe and be patient. If I obsess over the time then it’s gonna feel like double eternity…I know! I’ll get ready for bed. I’ll go about my usual routine, as if nothing spectacular is supposed to happen. Just, just stick to my schedule.” She trudged to her bedroom and changed out of her work clothes which she would love to create a bonfire with and took a quick shower, changing into and into a green camisole and a pair of sweatpants.

 **11:58**  
  
“Wait, green?” She looked down at it and rolled her eyes. “I wonder what the subconscious motivation for that was.” She thoroughly brushed her teeth and dried and styled her hair, meticulously inspecting every inch of herself into her bathroom mirror as if getting ready for a date. Her heart was racing so quickly she thought she might faint. Sitting at the edge of her bed she inhaled deeply and then glanced at her alarm clock. It read 12:01. She held her breath and then collapsed backwards onto the bed, her hands on her forehead. “Pepper said we came back around two in the morning,” she realized. “Did I really tell myself to be patient? That’s not a thing…I don’t do patient.” She let out a loud obnoxious groan as she sat back up. “Gods damn it. There’s always my library.” She dropped her chin in her palms. “Nah, I’ll be too distracted. Fuckity fuck!” She huffed. “Then again…Odin did say eight years to the day. He said nothing about the time.” She looked over her shoulder to check her alarm clock again but the time hadn't changed. “Maybe something’s wrong with the Bifrost? No, Thor said it was permanently fixed about five years ago. Maybe Heimdall’s being a dick. He’s not exactly the president of Loki’s fanclub.” She scratched her head in contemplation. “Where the hell is he?”  
  
She squeaked in fright as something hit her in the arm and fell onto bed next to her. She looked down and saw the pendant which housed the very first DIGITAL model. Breathing slowly she looked up and her heart nearly stopped when her eyes settled upon the doorway. It had been eight years and two months since she last heard the words that followed, not only highly fitting for the situation but also the first words she ever heard him say.

 **12:02**  
  
“I sincerely apologize for my tardiness.”


	26. Prior Engagements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sigh* This is it. I've already begun the sequel, I just need to finalize some plot details before anything goes up. It'll be a little more Thor-centric than Avengers, but we can't count 'em out just yet! Dani's parents are in that posse after all. I've been dying to do a song insertion for this story for a VERY long time and I finally found the perfect one; what better place than the final chapter? Once I've finished the sequel I'll write up and post the complementary piece I've mentioned. Initially I wasn't planning on posting it because I didn't want to exhaust this series and it was just something I was playing around with in my head. But after all the positive feedback I've gotten and how much everyone really seems to love Dani and where the story has gone I'm gonna write it up and post it just for you, my wonderful readers :) 
> 
> Oh, and because I'm evil...you're all gonna hate me and love me for the ending. What? Cliffhanger? I have no idea what you're talking about.
> 
> Mature-ish content alert! Nothing graphic mind you, but, well, if you don't wanna read that part skip all the way to the end. There really isn't much that's relevant in between, just Dani and Loki 'catching up' ;) And oh goodness has that girl grown up. You thought she was assertive before? If there's one person she won't take any crap from it's DEFINITELY Loki. And he's gonna learn that the hard/fun way. I also don't dabble in lemons or anything above PG-13 often so if it's poorly written...Well we all gotta start somewhere.

_“Things happen for a reason after all.”_  
  
 _“You believe in that?”_  
  
 _“Considering everything in my life has led up to this moment, I’d be hard pressed to think otherwise. What are the odds? If you give me a few minutes I could probably calculate that actually. And since I might be the incarnate of your karma if you do anything, and I do mean anything to fuck with my world, my life, my family, any of it, I'll impale you with your own spinal cord and carve out your eyes bit by bit with a rusty utility knife,” she snarled._  
  
 _“Now, now, there’s no need to issue threats. I am completely harmless, much to my chagrin,” he said, flashing the smile that made her skin crawl. “Really?" she snorted. "I’m supposed to believe you? Just because you have no supernatural manifestations of deception and trickery at your disposal doesn’t mean you aren’t still capable of deception and trickery.”_  
  
 _“You said something earlier about trust issues. Is it safe to assume that you’re a decent judge of character as a result? Are you able to detect even the slightest hint of deception?”_  
  
 _“I can smell bullshit from miles away. And right now…you aren’t putting on an act, but at the current moment I think that has more to do with your burning desire to get the hell out of Midgard than to develop a respect and appreciation for humans.”_  
  
 _“I am but a product of my design, Danielle. As are you.” He placed his palms on the desk and rose, staring down at her. “And from where I stand you are still inferior to me based on that alone.”_  
  
Turn it inside out so I can see  
  
The part of you that's drifting over me  
  
And when I wake you're--you're never there  
  
And when I sleep you're--you're everywhere  
  
You're everywhere  
  
 _"Are you fucking stalking me?!” she hissed, breathing heavily. Loki flashed her his trademark smile and she shuddered slightly. “If I were following you, don’t you think I would be a bit more discrete about it?” She began leafing through the book to find the page where she had left off on. “Considering you have nothing to lose courtesy of the protection offered by my decision to be an idiot and not say a word about ‘making your acquaintance’, ya really don’t need to be,” she snapped. “Then what are you doing here?” She glanced up at him and then returned her attention to the book._  
  
 _“The same as you it would appear,” he replied, green eyes carefully scanning the selection before them._  
  
 _“This is so fucking weird,” she grumbled._  
  
 _“What’s so strange about encountering an English teacher in a bookstore?”_  
  
 _“It’s fucking weird encountering any teacher anywhere outside of school,” she replied. “Because then they become people. People with lives and identities, and it makes it harder to dislike them.” Chuckling softly he replied, “Yet you judge me for generalizing about the whole of your race. My, the hypocrisy.”_  
  
 _“And this is the part where I do something I should’ve already been doing and ignore you.”_  
  
Just tell me how I got this far  
  
Just tell me why you're here and who you are  
  
'Cause every time I look  
  
You're never there  
  
And every time I sleep  
  
You're always there  
  
 _“Do you still think humans are beneath you? And that this world needs someone to come and rule it because it’s out of control and we’re destroying ourselves like some sort of flesh-eating parasitic pathogen? And our ideals about free will and freedom are the root of that? Our ideals of individualism and doing whatever we want?”_  
  
 _“What does it matter?” She was slightly startled by his tone now; this was the Loki that everyone was still so paranoid about, not the bitter and irritable Loki she was used to. “In my time here thus far I’ve seen nothing to convince me otherwise. In fact, quite the opposite.”_  
  
 _“…‘If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us’. You hate us because all of those things I just mentioned, you see them in yourself. And we remind you of them, and you can’t fucking stand that, so you want to find a way to bring order to this place to give yourself a sense of inner peace. It’s like looking in a broken mirror; fix the mirror, fix the reflection. You know damn well you’re destroying yourself and have no way of bringing any order into your life because you’re in so deep, and you’re desperate for some kind of structure. But you don’t know how to stop. You want to, but you don’t know how, and that makes you feel like you no control at all over your life so you try to strip us of our ‘illusionary freedom’. It’s not enough to have someone to commiserate with. You’ve needed someone to suffer for you ever since you turned on Asgard-”_  
  
 _“Asgard turned on me!” he yelled, face red. He opened his mouth to continue but she held her ground and kept going. “Tell me I’m wrong,” she demanded. “Tell me that this has nothing to do with hating humans, this has to do with hating yourself. This has nothing to do with seeing humans as inferior, this has to do with seeing yourself as inferior. Isn’t that what you said to Uncle Thor? Something about never wanting the throne but to be his equal?”_  
  
 _“You are treading on extremely dangerous waters right now so unless-”_  
  
 _“Oh take your empty threats and shove ‘em up your ass! Now tell I’m wrong. Tell me this is about feeling inferior to Thor, detesting Odin for keeping the truth from you for hundreds of years, and how that completely fucked with your head. I had the luxury of knowing from the beginning that I was created in a friggin’ test tube on a whim induced by a hangover. And while that isn’t a pleasant thought, nor is believing that it was only done so my dad could prove he could do it, I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to find out way down the road where I came from. How I was really born. I can’t. But I’m sure it would fuck up my head just an eensy-weensy little bit. I’d probably think I was just another trophy to hang over the mantle. Which I’m guessing is how you feel. Part of the spoils of war.”_  
  
'Cause you're everywhere to me  
  
And when I close my eyes it's you I see  
  
You're everything I know  
  
That makes me believe  
  
I'm not alone  
  
I'm not alone  


_"You're easy to talk to and that's weird.  I feel like I should hate you but I don't.  I feel like I should go out of my way to avoid you but you pop up all over the damn place.  I feel like all of those things make sense on the surface...but they go against something, and don't make sense in my head.  Throwback to everything happens for a reason?"  She raised her arms, elbows bent.  "Who knows?  But this much I do know.  You're the reason everyone is freaking the fuck out right now, and you're the only person I feel okay talking to about all that stupidness I live with.  And I don't mind.  In fact I like it.  I prefer it.  I feels natural.  Am I just rambling now or am I making some semblance of sense?"_

_"Yes to both," he replied with slight hesitation._

_"You're the only exception to the whole 'subjected to the unfortunate reality that is my actual personality' thing too.  And that's weird too.  But it also feels natural.  As things should be.  Am I just imagining things or do you get that vibe too?"_

_"I suppose the same could be said to you," he said with even greater hesitation.  "Well aren't I special?" she grinned mockingly._

_"How long do you intend on keeping me out here?"_

_"I didn't.  I just saw you and...there were words in my head and...yeah, here I am.  Feel free to ignore me and slam the door in my face.  Surprised you haven't already."_

_"As am I."_

_"Then ignore me," she challenged.  He rolled his eyes.  "Even if I did, you wouldn't shut up.  You and I are both painfully aware of that fact, more so myself than you."  She couldn't help but laugh.  "That's funny.  Ya know how I said that this is probably really tough to do on your own?  Well earlier I was thinking to myself about how you must be one of the loneliest people in the entire friggin' universe...and you pretty much just affirmed that for me.  Also you no longer look like you wanna strangle me.  Am I right, Loki?"_

_"About not wanting to strangle you?  Far from.  About your hypothesis?"  He paused.  "What does it matter?" he asked monotone.  She rolled her shoulders and took off her sunglasses, eyes uncharacteristically gentle.  "'Cause this sucks.  This whole situation sucks.  And I can't help but get the feeling Odin keeps throwing punishment upon punishment on you because he's also suffering from insecurities of his own and no matter what you do he won't stop.  And...that's just fucking ridiculous."_

_He had to try extremely hard to bite his tongue at the mention of his failures.  "And what does the omnipotent, omniscent Allfather have to be insecure about?" he asked acerbically.  Unfazed by his tone she replied, "He probably feels like he has to compensate for his epic fuckup, and he's projecting that onto you, thus turning you into the 'problem child', giving himself some kind of purpose by always being able to exercise his authority and force all this on you for his mistake.  Self-aggrandizing, basically, to be able to live with himself after what he did."_

_"And what exactly is this 'mistake' you keep alluding to?" he asked with genuine curiosity._

_"He lied," she replied simply with utter disgust.  "And even if he changed his mind later on he still kept the truth from you and he used you.  He can try and justify it all he wants by dropping the original motivation but it's a classic case of intent versus impact.  Now he has to convince everyone he's the perfect father, himself included, by painting you into a corner because he's seen the repercussions of his actions.  He can't deal with the guilt so he's making it your burden.  As far as I'm concerned all of your 'offenses'...He started them.  And he's perpetuating them.  And he's not gonna stop this vicious cycle he started because fuck forbid anyone ever accuse the Allfather of being a shitty father.  But that's just me.  I could be totally off," she said with a shake of her head.  He stared blankly at her in absolute silence, then knit his brow in thought as he began mulling over her words.  She folded her arms her chest.  "And of course the perfect ruler and guardian of his realm...Keeping it safe from your incessant 'malicious intentions'.  A part of me can't help but think he's painted himself into a corner, conflicted between the roles of ruler and parents, but he has to save face.  And you make a very easy scapegoat.  Because of his efforts, not anything you're intentionally doing.  Not anymore.  But like hell anyone would ever give you the credit for trying to turn any of that around and recognize your efforts-"  He put a hand to silence her.  "I see your point.  You can...stop now," he said quietly.  The atmosphere between them grew quiet._

_"I can ship off now, if ya want," she said to break the awkward silence, looking at her feet.  "I just felt like...you might wanna hear that.  That someone needed to tell you that.  Someone who actually believes it.  That there's some serious victim blaming going on here and it's pissing me the fuck off.  Not trying to give a pep talk or whatever, but there's always multiple angles to every situation and I doubt anyone would even entertain that one as possible without feeling like a heretic or something.  That there does exist at least one person who doesn't think you should be behind bars for eternity and then some, even if you might not think that.  Not yet anyway.  And seeing as I bear no allegiance or loyalty as a third party I can run my mouth off as much as I fucking please.  Hell, even if I couldn't I still would because I'm recalcitrant."  She couldn't help but grin.  "So I'll see you after the trial thingy whatchamafuckit, I guess.  Take it easy."  She turned around and began to make her leave until he said something which almost made her choke on her own breath from the shock._

_"What's the rush?  Are you really so eager to return to your arguing parents?"  There was clicking sound behind her as he unlocked and opened the door.  "You still haven't ranted about your parent's argument.  It's not like you to pass up an oppurtunity like that.  Feeling ill Danielle?"_

_"It's kinda creepy how well you're starting to know me."_

_"I could say the same to you."_

  
_Still frozen in place she looked over her shoulder and added, "I didn't say it was a bad thing, though."_

_"Nor did I."_

_  
Danielle turned around.  "I'm not a vampire ya know.  Don't need an invitation to come in."_

_"That would constitute as trespassing according to the laws of man, would it not?"_

_"As if I give a fuck," she snickered.  "And I doubt you would either.  We could both use the company right now."_

 

I recognize the way you make me feel  
  
It's hard to think that you might not be real  
  
I sense it now, the water's getting deep  
  
I try to wash the pain away from me  
  
Away from me  
  
 _“I suppose this incessant guilt isn’t accomplishing anything,” he muttered._  
  
 _“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you this whole time!” she exclaimed. “And it’s not until I end up getting kidnapped that it sinks in. Invest that mental energy in finding a way to get me out of here if you’re so dead set on it, instead of moanin’ and groanin’ about me being here. It’s not your fault. And even if it were…it’s not all that bad.”_  
  
 _“How do you figure?”_  
  
 _“A quote from Hesse himself. “Often it is the most deserving people who cannot help loving those who destroy them.” The question is who’s destroying who? You sending me here, or my actions causing you to feel all that additional guilt?” She nodded toward the way from which he came. “Now skedaddle. That’s an order.”_  
  
 _“…that isn’t the best choice of words when trying to convince someone to leave.”_  
  
 _“Too bad. I do what I want. Now move it, bitch.” She gave his hands a light squeeze. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’ve already made it this far. Oh, one more favor. When you see my parents again go up to them, say ‘I love you’, let the awkward silence kick in and wait a few seconds, then say ‘Dani wanted me to tell that’.” She giggled at the image of the horrified looks on her parents’ faces if they heard Loki say that he loved them. She leaned forward, resting her head against the bars. “I’ll be okay. Nothing could ever come between me and my ability to irritate the ever living shit out of you.”_  
  
 _“Interesting word choice.” She felt heat rising in her cheeks when their fingers were suddenly laced together. “But considering the source they’re reassuring.” She gulped nervously and noticed out of the corner of her eye the thing she had been observing for the past few weeks. Whenever he lied his left eye twitched slightly. Instead all she saw was longing. Had she seen her reflection she would know that she had the very same expression._  
  
'Cause you're everywhere to me  
  
And when I close my eyes it's you I see  
  
You're everything I know  
  
That makes me believe  
  
I'm not alone  
  
I'm not alone  
  
I am not alone  
  
 _“You’re still a child.” Unlike her he didn’t bother trying to mask his disappointment._  
  
 _She rubbed her temples and shook her head in annoyance. “Don’t remind me.” She walked passed him and up to the balcony edge, trying to avoid the long streaks of blood on the floor. She rested her elbows on the elaborately decorated stone and looked down at the emptying battlefield. “Looks like they’re all almost gone. And Fenrir is having a field day with Sigyn. Or…what little is left of her.” She pointed at the mess on the ground which the wolf was lapping up. Not a trace of remained of the Goddess’ corporeal form. She laughed quietly to herself, folding her arms on the railing as she watched the battle die down. “Know what I just realized?”_  
  
 _“What’s that?” She jumped. Having paid so much attention to the gory sight before her she hadn’t noticed he was standing right next to her._  
  
 _“Her name is Old Norse for ‘victorious girlfriend’.” She snickered again, curling her lips inwards to suppress her laughter. He was unable to, making it even harder for her and eventually she burst out laughing so hard she was clutching her lungs in pain come the end of her giggle fit. “Holy shit, that doesn’t tickle. That is by far the greatest misnomer ever. Ow, ow, ow, my ribs.” Her face was bright red._  
  
 _“That hadn’t occurred to me until you brought it up. You have convinced me. There is no such thing as coincidence. I believe this belongs to you.” Her breath was caught in her throat when he moved behind her, putting her necklace back on her. Her back was almost pressed against his chest. When she had embraced and kissed him after coming back to life she had done so out of her own accord. This was the first time the roles had reversed and he initiated such close physical contact._  
  
 _“Thanks,” she said quietly, twirling the purple pendant nervously between her fingers as he closed the clasp. “So…if I were older…that would make a difference, right?”_  
  
 _His hands fell to her shoulders. “That’s all it would take.”_  
  
 _“…am I worth waiting for? Honestly?”_  
  
And when I touch your hand  
  
It's then I understand  
  
The beauty that's within  
  
It's now that we begin  
  
You always light my way  
  
I hope there never comes a day  
  
No matter where I go  
  
I always feel you so  
  
 _She narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t yell that much!” she hissed. “Though I almost did just now…That would’ve been suspicious.”_  
  
 _“Oh not at all. I’m sure everyone would assume that I stole you away in the middle of the night to torture you relentlessly for killing Sigyn. It’s fairly apparent that I’ve been using you as a willing pawn to ensure my return to Asgard to steal the throne and Tesseract, and I needed her assistance to accomplish that. Truly a baseless concern. Sigyn was always a hindrance and a nuisance. I’d obviously enlist in your generous aid instead, my dear. You have proven yourself to be quite useful.”_  
  
 _“You really think I’m worthy enough? I’m honored.” She put a hand on her heart feigning gratitude. “But you are human so you would still have to kneel. You won’t be granted diplomatic immunity I’m afraid.”_  
  
 _She smacked her forehead. “We are having way too much fun with this,” she snickered. “So much for not dwelling,” she teased._  
  
 _“To be fair, you started it,” he said in mock accusation._  
  
 _“Really?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “We’re playing the blame game? Super fricken’ mature Loki.”_  
  
 _“And since when are you the epitome of maturity?”_  
  
 _“Since never, so I’m very skilled at recognizing a lack thereof.” She sighed. “We should probably attempt sleeping. Gonna be hard for me to keep my thoughts from getting jumbled if I’m exhausted.” She put the pillow back and though her mind kept screaming at her to stand up she instead found herself moving closer to him, leaning against his arm._  
  
 _“Are you trying to make this more difficult than it already is?” he chided. She glanced up at him. “I don’t need to try. That’s the worst part.”_  
  
'Cause you're everywhere to me  
  
And when I close my eyes it's you I see  
  
You're everything I know  
  
That makes me believe  
  
I'm not alone  
  
 _“Just in case this falls to shit I want you know something, because there’s no way I could live out the rest of my life without having told you. I’m falling in lo-”_  
  
 _“The High Court of Asgard hereby acquits one Loki Laufeyson of all charges against him.”_  
  
 _Loki, who was at a loss for words, widened his eyes in absolute disbelief and then sighed deeply in relief. Danielle on the other hand was screaming into her hands, jumping up and down like a hyperactive toddler. She immediately shattered the tight metal restraints on his wrists and almost hug-tackled him to the ground, squeezing him so hard he could barely breathe. Over the sound of the mixed reaction from the crowd he murmured in her ear, “Thank you, Danielle. But the amount of strength you’re using could become counterproductive in a matter of seconds.” She curled her lips inward embarrassed as she loosened her grip. “Yeah, I probably shouldn’t crush your respiratory system after having just saved your life.” She shook her head as he returned the embrace. “But don’t thank me just for being me. Nothing could ever take you away from this lil’ parasite, lamprey, leech, what-fucking-ever you wanna call me.”_  
  
 _“Incredible. That’s what I’ll call you. But that hardly scratches the surface.” Her cheeks turned bright red and she buried her face in his chest. “Shut up with the sentimentality!” she barked. “I hate it.” He couldn’t help but laugh at her. “Still trying to lie to me. When will you ever learn?” She scoffed. “Someday it’ll happen. Mark my words. Someday I will successfully lie to you.” He sighed. “Stubborn idiot.”_  
  
'Cause you're everywhere to me  
  
And when I catch my breath  
  
It's you I breathe  
  
You're everything I know  
  
That makes me believe  
  
I'm not alone  
  
 _She lifted her hands up and cupped his face, pressing her forehead against his with downcast eyes. “I can’t say it,” she began in a voice so hushed it was almost an inaudible whispered, “because ‘goodbye’ is shorthand for ‘God be with you’.” Her lips were dangerously close to his. “And you won’t be. You won’t be with me. And that kills me after everything you’ve done for me, after having become so accustomed to you always being there for me. You’ll be stuck here under Odin’s scrutiny, miserable, and the thought of you being alone again, I feel like I’m supposed to find a way to stay, so that doesn’t happen, because you and I-” She was interrupted by a finger pressing against her lips._  
  
 _“This is something we both have to do. You know that as well as I.” She gulped, thumbs slowly making small circles below his cheekbones. “Yeah, I do, I do, but there’s a big difference between knowing and feeling,” she replied as his finger slid down her chin and his hand moved to the back of her neck, her lower lip trembling. “And right now I also know us being this close is a terrible idea but I don’t even have half a fuck to give.”_  
  
 _“I was the one indebted to you, Danielle. Where is this sudden compulsion coming from? What reason could you possibly have to be grateful to me for?”_  
  
 _“What the fuck kind of question is that?" she almost laughed. "Remember when I said you’d been a good influence on me, when we were leaving Gioll? I would feel so unbelievably guilty for just…leaving you here in a place that makes you miserable where any fucking second you could be forced into once again taking a throne that you don’t even want and having to deal with Odin’s bullshit and oh fuck the rest of Asgard, I just…”_  
  
 _“That’s my burden to bear, not yours. And you have yet to answer my question.”_  
  
 _“I know, I’m getting to it. It’s not like I don’t think you can do it but…I feel like I’m supposed to be here when you do. And I’m indebted to you because I know I haven’t been showing my feelings very much over the past few months but that’s because never before have I ever been so attached to someone outside my family, so concerned about someone, so taken by someone…Ya wanna know why I complain about sappy stuff and feelings?" She glanced up at him, the fear and panic in her eyes sharp but pitiful. "Because my own feelings terrify me. I’ve been so fucking scared of you, of me, because…because…I was so damn comfortable in that little bubble. Just my family and my library. Typical Dani, being a-okay with giving but not receiving.”_  
  
You're in everyone I see  
  
So tell me  
  
Do you see me?

  
 **Danielle’s Bedroom**  
  
  
“I sincerely apologize for my tardiness.  
  
Danielle could hardly breathe. _It’s over. He’s...He’s totally gonna give me a hard time for that tattoo._ He looked at her expectantly, waiting for some sort of reaction. “Damn right you do,” she replied quietly, smiling in disbelief. “Making me wait two minutes. The audacity you possess to think I would ever tolerate that. And I don’t wanna hear any excuses either, mister.” She rose and slowly approached him, a playful twinkle in her deep blue eyes as she put a hand on her hip, the other shaking a finger at him disapprovingly. Feigning shame he closed the door and stood against it, arms folded behind his back. “I am terribly sorry for disappointing you so. If there is anything, anything at all I could possibly do to make amends for my atrocious behavior you need only name it and it shall be done.” She tapped her chin with her index finger a few times. “Well, you do owe me.”  
  
“I already gave you back the pendant, what more could you possibly want from me?” he pretended to complain.  
  
“How about my first kiss?” Without warning she grabbed him by the collar and threw him up against the door so hard she almost knocked the wind out of him. He was so taken aback by her sudden aggressive behavior that it took a few seconds for him to realize she was pressing her lips against his with unbridled longing. Though he was completely pinned between her deceptively tame figure and the door he managed to grab her tightly by the waist and roughly pull her as close to him as possible, gripping possessively as if letting go meant losing her forever. He tugged gently at her lower lip with his teeth and felt her frame shudder against him, a soft moan escaping her lips. She ran her hands down his upper arms, palms and fingertips pressing deeply so she could feel the well-built muscular form hidden beneath the layers of leather. One hand slid completely around her lower back while the other start to anxiously tug at the drawstrings of her sweatpants. The abrupt motion caused her to squeak in surprise again and he couldn’t help but smirk before nipping at her lips once more. Still not fond of being mocked in even the slightest manner she decided to return the favor a tenfold and her lips made slow descent to the base of his neck, multiple thin red lines immediately forming on his skin as she bit and sucked, leaving a trail of love bites. The hand on her back began to curl, grabbing a fistful of her top causing small tears in the fabric She was about to put her SSS strength to proper use, or at least what seemed to be proper in her lust-fuelled state and crack his armor like an eggshell until she found herself feeling extremely lightheaded. She stopped briefly to try and catch her breath.  
  
“Holy mother of hormones,” she gasped, “that’s some first kiss…Whoa, I’m dizzy.” Her cheek fell just below his shoulder, and she was able to feel and hear his extremely audible and extremely fast heartbeat. “Why am I so dizzy?” she wondered aloud almost in a drunken stupor.  
  
 _Any harder and she may have shattered the door…Someone’s clearly forgotten how to be mindful of her strength. Not that I could hold it against her right now…_ “Because you weren’t breathing, you greedy little thing,” he replied with a laugh. She frowned and gently pounded a fist against his chest plate. “Stop mocking me,” she whined.  
  
He tangled his fingers in honey blonde hair, stroking gently. “Oh, but you make it far too easy and I’m afraid I simply couldn’t resist it…among other things.” After catching her breath she looked up at him, still in disbelief that the miserably long eight year wait was over and words were eluding her. She didn’t know if there were any words for that moment, or if speaking was necessary. She knew that she wanted to scream with excitement but considering the proximity that wasn’t the brightest of ideas. It wasn’t long before inspiration struck the young woman.  
  
“Hey Loki?” she said softly, loosening her grip on him.  
  
“Yes Danielle?” He kissed her forehead.  
  
“If you ever give me laryngitis again I’m gonna beat you with a shovel. With spikes on it.”  
  
“I missed you too.”  
  
“I’m serious.”  
  
“I’m utterly terrified.”  
  
“Good. You should be. Because I’m fucking terrifying.”  
  
“Of course you are.”  
  
“I’ll kill you in your sleep.”  
  
“I’m sure you will.” She opened her mouth to retort but paused and instead grinned. “I missed this. And you. Obviously. Feel like that kinda goes without saying.”  
  
“It’s still nice to hear.”  
  
“Well I’m glad I can finally say it. Right to you, that is, not go on and on to everyone else about it. Looks like I’ll finally be able to start getting a full night’s sleep again.”  
  
“I wouldn’t count on that just yet dearest,” he whispered against her lips. She grinned. “Your mom was right. She said once this was all over it would seem as if we were never apart. And it really does kinda feel like picking up from where we left off, since we were having another one of those ‘oh shit we shouldn’t be alone’ moments, and you’re the same self-repressed hypercarnal- well not really self-repressed anymore because I’m not a kid-”  
  
“I am well aware of the fact that you are no longer a child and as much as I would love to reminisce I’d much rather exploit that fact at the current moment,” he quickly interrupted. “Oh, right, yeah, why am I talking? One thing though, and this is actually relevant, believe it or not.”  
  
“Mmm, I think I’m going to ignore you regardless,” he murmured against her neck, giving her goosebumps. “There are far better ways you could be putting that tireless tongue of yours to use right now.” She shuddered again. “Then I’ll make it quick. Pretty sure the manufacturers of my bed didn’t have Gods and SSS inheritors in their target audience so-” She felt an alarmingly familiar sensation behind her and mentally dug Sigyn out of her grave, until she remembered that Loki was in possession of his magic again.  
  
“I reinforced the damn thing, now stop talking,” he commanded in a harsh whisper as he ran his multitalented tongue along the shell of her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.  
  
 _I’m gonna lose my virginity to a God. Haters gonna hate._ “Trying to order a human around huh? Someone didn’t learn his lesson…” He grinned wickedly at her. “Only in certain contexts,” he purred as his hands dropped to her lower back and slipped beneath her top. She tightened her grip on his arms again and slowly started walking backwards towards her bed, urging him forward with a hungry kiss. He clawed down her back as she parted his lips with her tongue, coaxing forth a primal growl from low in his throat. She couldn’t help but feel somewhat smug at the fact that she, a human virgin, had a God with a reputation (according to the myths) for being an incorrigibly seductive creature, and a possessive and domineering one at that, so rapaciously enticed. All he could think about, if it could even be called ‘thinking’, was how badly he needed to show the young woman who had completely captivated him on every level to whom she belonged. But as many before had said, accurately so, his arrogance was generally his downfall and he had overlooked a very simple but very important detail- she was his mental equal, extremely stubborn and hated to be outdone, and awfully adept at taking command of a situation when need be. The moment the back of her legs hit the edge of her bed she needn’t use much strength to keep herself up so she could remind him of that.  
  
 _I have half a mind to demand he kneel before me and beg for it…Good Gods that would piss him off so much. But the look on his face would be so worth it…_ She could feel him trying to use his upper body strength to push her onto her back but she kept her posture and he snarled in annoyance, only broadening the grin on her lips. “Someone’s being a little controlling at this lovely twilight hour,” she taunted as she pressed her chest against his, causing more aggravation as he mentally cursed the barrier of attire between them even further. “I thought I told you to be silent.” His lips forcefully crashed against hers to try and send the message across that the only language he cared to converse in now was body language. “Another word and I’m taking that pretty little voice of yours away until you behave,” he threatened before he stole a taste of her mouth. Her tongue fought back and entangled with his and her lack of immediate submission to his demands could only be seen as a direct act of insubordination.  
  
She pulled her head back slightly so she could keep taunting him. “So you’re just gonna hide behind your magic to try and show who’s in charge, hm?” She giggled as her fingertips began crawling up to his shoulders, the dark expression on his face confirming she had won that argument before it even started. She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss next to his ear before whispering, “And if you did silence me then how would you be able to enjoy…” She paused to build anticipation, giving his earlobe a nibble to make sure she kept his full attention. “…hearing me…” After another pause she firmly gripped the thick leather shoulder padding of his cloak, leaving deep indents in the material. “…scream your name…for all the Nine Realms to hear…” He impatiently grabbed fistfuls of her top again, tugging so tightly he sent a long tear up the middle as her delectable narration sent his imagination into a fit. “…so they know I’m yours and yours alone…” She quickened her breathing and manipulatively emphasized her last words with a forced but believable moan. “…my dearly beloved…future king?” Appealing to his ego gave her a fraction of a second to act but that was more than enough time for her to repeat what she had done at the door, hardly exhausting any strength to grab his biceps and throw him down onto her bed. She quickly climbed on top of him and held his wrists down with a fierce grip that would put the shackles of the Asgardian prison to shame.  
  
“That was way too easy,” she teased with an arrogant smirk, blue sparkling triumphantly as her face hovered above his. "I expected more of a challenge from you."  He raised his head and glared her down. “I will make you regret such a bold act of disobedience,” he murmured in a deep, angry tone as he tried to fight her harsh grip on his wrists. Chuckling as she pressed down harder she replied, “I’m sure I’d love every second of it, honey. Are you even listening to yourself? You damn spoiled little prince.  So used to always getting your way and taking what you want by any means necessary.” She leaned closer and narrowed her eyes, adding in a tone matching his, “If you think even for a second that you can tell me what to do, and expect me to follow through, you better fucking think twice. I’m ecstatic beyond words that I can now proudly say we’re together.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “But I belong to no one. Understood?” Again he was taken aback by her. He had seen this side of Danielle before at the trial and both times she had terrified Sigyn, while still a prisoner and when she tricked her into digging her own grave. But he had never been on the receiving end before and had no idea that such a feral beast lay dormant behind that sunny smile, tender touch, and sweet eyes. Loki of all people should know that every light casts a shadow.  
  
She smirked and forced his head back down with an ardent kiss. “Old habits die hard, huh?  I’ll take your stunned silence as a ‘yes dear’.” As much as he hated to admit it the very same way he found her ability to outwit him alluring, as he enjoyed the challenge, there was something attractive about this dangerously defiant and confrontational side which could quell his controlling nature. It provided another opportunity for the two evenly matched lovers to try and outdo the other and a fight for dominance was a challenge Loki would more than gladly accept, especially when issued by the only one capable of initiating it. To anyone unfamiliar with their relationship dynamic it may have seemed unhealthy but in actuality it was no more than the physical equivalent to their playful verbal banter. That battle was no doubt hers but the war was far from over.  
  
There was a series of heavy thuds and thumps as a mass of leather and metal accumulated on her carpet. A band of elastic was snapped and fabric was shredded like paper. This is the story of how Danielle Olivia Rogers-Stark’s bed almost broke had it not been magically fortified to support the combined strength of a God and a carrier of the Super Soldier Serum, as one would expect any (a)typical Agardian-Midgardian mishmash romance story to begin.

* * *

  
 **That Morning**  
  
  
“Wait, **what**?”  
  
“I’m calling in sick today,” Danielle repeated into her cell phone as she took another sip of her coffee. “Do you think you can fill in for me today?”  
  
“Of course, of course. What did you come down with?” Pepper asked concerned. “There was an outbreak of tuberculosis at the airport you arrived at for the business trip you took to Germany last week. Please tell me you didn’t catch it.” She laughed and set her mug on the countertop. “Pepper, if I had TB would I be calling you on my cell phone from my house? It’s not a sick day, it’s a ‘sick day’.”  
  
“You’re joking. You’re taking a day off…out of your own _free will_?” her assistant and dear friend asked in disbelief. She nodded. “Indeed I am.” She glanced down at her arms and over her shoulders to assess the damage. She looked as though she had gotten into a nasty fight but she wore those battle scars with utmost pride.  
  
“You’re not sneaking off for another impromptu one-on-one business meeting over lunch with a rival CEO, are you?” she asked skeptically. Whereas Pepper had to actively strive to make Tony actually work, trying to keep Danielle from overworking was like pulling teeth.  
  
“Nope. Probably not even leaving the house today.” She heard stirring coming from her bedroom and smiled brightly. _Yay, boyfriend is awake! Oh shit, I have a boyfriend. Finally. Fucking feelings…Happy, wonderful, fluffy feelings._ She sighed in contentment and then remembered she was in the middle of a phone call. “Don’t worry, you have no reason to be suspicious, I swear. I’ve got a damn good reason…Just trust me. I’ll let you know when I’m good and ready to come back.” She heard Pepper sigh deeply in relief. “Finally, you’ve come to your senses. As standing CEO, I’m telling you to take the entire week off.” Finishing off her cinnamon and vanilla flavored coffee she replied, “Sounds good to me boss lady.”  
  
“Alright, excellent. Now go laze around and be a couch potato, as unproductive as you possibly can, or you’re fired,” she joked.  
  
“I’ll do my best,” she said with a final nod. “Bye Pepper.”  
  
“Bye Dani.” She hung up and put the mug in the sink to wash out later. She stretched her arms out and yawned as she returned to her bedroom, dropping her phone onto her bedside table next to her alarm clock, lamp, and a photo frame with a fourteen-year-old photo of a family outing in Boston covered by an eight-year-old birthday note which had remained in that frame since she placed it inside. She reclined on the bed next to Loki who was slowly waking up. After her camisole and sweat pants had been reduced to scraps she changed into another, a dark blue one with greatly complemented her eyes and her Captain America pajama pants. As his eyes opened she leaned closer, an arm over him and descended to place a soft kiss on his lips.  
  
“Good morning,” she whispered against his neck as he lazily draped an arm over her, pulling her down so she was laying on her side next to him. Slipping the other beneath her he replied, “It is now.” She couldn’t keep from blushing like a giddy school girl. Though she slept in a very similar position she had difficulty actually falling asleep, fearing that she would awake to find it had all been a dream. He brushed her bangs out of her eyes, tucking them behind her ear. “I must admit I highly approve of your color choice.” She groaned. “Ugh, not you too. Of course you too, what the fuck am I saying? I’d been wanting to dye my hair for awhile and I had this burning desire to get green put in, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why. Then I came home after the appointment –this is back when I was still living with my family- and Uncle Clint teased me for paying homage to you. And then it dawned on me as to why I was so adamant on green. My dad wouldn’t let me live it down and my poor father looked ready to faint that I dyed my hair in the first place. His reaction to my tattoos wasn’t much better.”  
  
“Speaking of…”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got a tattoo of your symbol, I know.” He smirked. “This morning you were _very_ insistent that you belong to no one…” He playfully twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. “And yet you permanently marked yourself…with my symbol?” She leered. “Hold still, I need to strangle you.” He laughed and kissed her forehead. “You set yourself up for that one, darling.”  
  
“I realized that earlier…You’re so mean to me,” she whined.  
  
Leaning up on his elbow he replied, “I’ve been deprived of the pleasures of taunting, teasing, and mocking you for eight consecutive years. I have a great deal of lost time to make up for.”  
  
“Then I guess I’ve got a whole lotta yelling to make up for.”  
  
“And here I had hoped you would have matured in our time apart…”  
  
“You’re lying,” she grinned and curled up against his chest. “If I was mature you’d be bored and you know it.” He rubbed the middle of her back. “Maybe.” Glancing up she replied sing-song, “Someone’s making his lying face.” She slipped her hands around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss. Warmth shot through her entire body when he slowly ran his tongue across her lower lip. “Mmm…and someone tastes delicious this morning,” he murmured as he rolled her onto her back. Face redder than her dad’s metallic suit she stammered, “It’s, uh, probably the coffee that, that I had earlier. There’s still plenty left if you want any.” _Dear Gods please tell me every morning starts out like this. I can get in quality time with Loki **and** my daily workout simultaneously. Multitasking is awesome._  
  
“Thoughtful as always. But I’d much rather have you instead.” He about to go in for another kiss when Danielle’s phone went off. Her eyes widened in fear. Shoot to Thrill was playing. “Oh shit,” she breathed and rolled over onto her side to try and grab it but he pulled her back. “And where do you think you’re going?” he whispered into her ear and kissed the back of her shoulder, lacing his fingers with hers to keep her arm in place.  
  
She suppressed a moan as he moved along her shoulder and up her exposed neck, gritting her teeth in frustration of both the angry and sexual persuasion. _No wonder Sigyn was so jealous…I hate him so much right now!_ “I have to take it, it’s my parents.”  
  
“You would rather talk with your parents than lay here and let me ravish this beautiful body of yours until you can no longer formulate a coherent thought?”  
  
“Tempting, _extremely_ tempting-”  
  
“Yes you are.” He smirked as his hand started creeping down her stomach, dangerously close to her waistline and her breathing quickened. _Wonderful, I already can’t form a coherent thought and the ‘ravishing’ hasn’t even started._ “No, I definitely wouldn’t pick them, but if I don’t answer they’re gonna keep calling. They do this every week. Biweekly Obligatory Paranoid Parent Call. Torture me while I’m talking to them, I don’t care, just let me shut them up.” He loosened his grip on her and she darted for her phone, answering right before it went to her voicemail. “Hey you two,” she greeted with a smile.  
  
“Mornin’ kiddo. Rumor has it you’re taking the day off.”  
  
“You aren’t really sick, right?" Steve asked concerned. "I had heard about the tuberculosis outbreak in that airport. Already fifteen people have been diagnosed.”  
  
 _Damn it Pepper…_ She was about to laugh off their worry until she felt a pair of teeth grazing the other side of her neck. _Really? Now? Damn it all, I told him to…FUCK._ “I’m fine parental units, really. Just wanted a day off to relax at home. Pepper told me to take the entire week. Not sure how I’m gonna spend the time though…” Loki chuckled quietly behind her. “That was a horrendous lie,” he whispered in her ear before biting her earlobe. She twitched and stifled a gasp. Glaring over her shoulder she mouthed ‘Shut up!’. “So anything new at HQ?”  
  
“Clint and Bobbi broke up, unfortunately,” Steve replied with a sigh. “He hasn’t said very much about it but it sounded as though it ended with a rather nasty fight. It’s a shame that it didn’t work out. I really liked her.”  
  
“Steve, I already told you if we’re having a threesome it’s with another guy,” Tony joked. Danielle chuckled and ran her hand through her hair. She was about to comment on how ridiculous her parents were but Loki grabbed her hand and started sucking on her fingers. She bit her lip to trap another moan in her throat. He was exploiting all her weak spots, much to her delight and chagrin.  
  
“That’s sucky. They were together for what, five years? Six?”  
  
“Something like that. So when were you planning on coming over to put the finishing touches on DIGITAL Model 17?”  
  
“Uh, sometime this week maybe? My schedule’s all clear!”  
  
“That’s what you think.” She elbowed him in the chest and he quickly rolled her onto her back, attacking her lips with reckless abandon. She shuddered as he put a hand behind her head, tangling his fingers in her silky hair while using the other to take her free hand and hold it against his chest, yet another weakness of hers. Instinctively she arched her back as she caressed his perfectly sculpted abs, the soft graze of her fingertips alone making his breathing heavier. The sound of her dad’s voice brought her down from her euphoric high and she glared at Loki. ‘Die!’ she mouthed out, not realizing she hadn’t moved her hand.  
  
“Tonight sound good?” Tony asked.  
  
“Tonight might work, yeah.” Loki whimpered pitifully in protest. She stuck her tongue out at him; pouting never worked on her. She rolled back onto her side to try and carry out the call. Just the sight of him was starting to make her hazy with desire.  
  
“That works out perfectly. I was planning on making apple pie tonight.” Her eyes lit up. “For realz?! Oh shit, it’s been waaaaaaaay too long since I’ve had Captain America’s All-American Appl-” She dropped her phone when he started biting along her neck. “Mother fucker,” she whispered angrily as she picked her phone back up. “Sorry, heh, dropped my phone.”  
  
“Do you really think I’d let you even leave this room again?” he breathed against the back of her neck, sliding a hand up the front of her shirt. She gulped. _Damn him, damn him, damn him, damn him._  
  
“Are you sure you’re alright Dani? You sound a little…I’m not sure how to phrase it. But you don’t sound entirely mentally present, if that makes sense. Have you been getting enough sleep?”  
  
 _Funny you should ask_. “Ugh, yes father, I have,” she lied with an annoyed groan.  Ever since she had moved out they called her twice every week to ensure she was doing just that- sleeping enough, eating well, and in the beginning going so far as to ask if she was brushing her teeth and ensuring she hadn't left the stove top on. “Just feeling a little restless. Not sure what to do with myself if I’m not gonna be working.”  
  
“You can come over now Dani, and we can finish up the suit asap. Gives us time for some test runs. Bruce actually came up with a new feature for you to play around with.”  
  
“What kind? Explosions?!” she asked excitedly. Tony laughed at her enthusiasm. “Not plural. One giant explosion. It plays off of your cyberpathic linkage. But I won’t spoil the surprise.”  
  
“Ooh, I wanna play with it, I wanna play with it, I wanna, I wanna!”  
  
“Absolutely not.” He ran his fingers down her arm, leaving bright pink scratch marks. “I’m not letting go of you again.  Never.” She glared at him and put her index finger to her lips. ‘Quiet!’ “Um, maybe not just yet though.”  
  
“Well that’s a suspicious tone if I ever did hear one.” She laughed off Tony’s accusation. “You’re kidding, right? Like I said, I’m just feeling a little restless. Jittery. Anxious. Kinda fidgety.” Loki smirked and kissed along her upper back, catching the allusion. “You should just tell them,” he whispered, his warm breath making her tremble. “They’ll find out eventually…”  
  
“Hold on a sec. Coffee maker’s done.” She muted her phone and turned onto her other side to face him. “Hell no!” she exclaimed. “The last time I had to tell them about interacting with you I was shot, kidnapped, tortured, held captive, caught a nasty as fuck disease, died, came back to life, and eventually ended up being torn away from you for eight fucking years! And while it’s highly unlikely any of those things will happen again…Fuck no! They’ll go ballistic! We’re finally together again, and them? They would get paranoid and freak out and oh Gods if they saw all the bruises and scratch marks and bite marks…No. I’m not letting them ruin this. No, no, no, no.” In a matter of seconds he returned to his senses, calming completely. He nodded slowly. “Finish your conversation. There’s something I need to speak to you about.” She blinked in surprise at the radical shift in character. “Well that was unexpected…What-?” He shook his head and released her from his hold. Sitting up he replied, “Don’t ask. I’ll tell you when you’re done.” She stared at him in utter confusion as he started getting dressed.  
  
“The fuck…?” She returned to conversing with her parents. “Crap and a half,” she snapped, “The coffee maker got fucked up. I better fix this stupid thing. I’ll call you guys back later, OK?” She quickly hung up and put her phone on silent in case they tried calling her back. She set it down and moved towards the other side of the bed. She was surprised that he was already completely dressed, considering how difficult of a time his many buckles, belts, and layers had given her. She sat on the edge, legs folded underneath her and grabbed Loki’s hand, pulling him back onto it next to her. His expression reminded her of their conversation before his trial. She put an arm behind him and dropped her chin on his shoulder.  
  
“What’s up?” she asked quietly, resting her free hand on his folded ones. He was silent for an uncomfortably long period of time and she was unable to read the expression on his face, though she had an inkling there was a hint of regret and sadness.  
  
“You know why I came here. I gave you my word that as soon as I could I would return to you.” You turned to her. “But I was also sent here. By Odin.” She narrowed her eyebrows. “Now I’m totally lost ‘cause I’m pretty sure he’s not a big fan of me, so I have no idea why he would send you to me.”  
  
“How interesting that you were given a week off from working…All things happen for a specific purpose.” He exhaled deeply and she felt a strange aura beneath her palm. She looked down and his folded hands were glowing green, and judging by how he had shifted them she assumed he materialized something into his grasp. “Believe me when I say I didn’t want this. I protested vehemently against it but…something has happened. I’m not entirely sure what but I do know that Odin is taking advantage of our relationship to accomplish reaching whatever his objective is. He told me that I have one week before I must return to Asgard indefinitely.”  
  
“What?!” she gasped, turning pale. “Let me finish Danielle. As I said I don’t know the entire situation, I only know what I was told. And I was told that I have one week before I will be forcibly taken back by Heimdall…and Odin is insisting that you come with me. You will be forcibly brought to Asgard as well. I don’t know the real reason, but I do know his cover which also has a bit of a story behind it.” He opened his hands and held hers in one, the mystery object in the other. It was a golden band bedecked with an alternating pattern of shimmering emeralds and black onyxes. He slipped it onto her finger and her heart skipped a beat when she realized what wearing a ring with his colors would signify.  
  
“He is ordering that you come with me, and stay, as he has declared us betrothed.” She was in a silent state of shock. Danielle stared down at the beautiful ring on her finger, bringing it closer to her eyes to examine it carefully. She could feel some sort of indentation on the inside and took it off curiously. The words ‘The Burden of Loki’s Arms’ had been engraved on the inside of the band in Old Norse using the Elder Futhark alphabet. She immediately recognized it as a play off of ‘The Burden of Sigyn’s Arms’, a now retired alternative title for Loki. She snickered as she slid it back on. “Cute kenning. Parasite, leech, lamprey, and now I’m your burden.”  
  
 _Having you is a glorious purpose to be burdened with_. "I tried as hard as I could to keep him from imposing this agenda on you, whatever it is.  I didn't want you to be forced to choose between myself and your family. But he’s obtuse.”  
  
“Obtuse is an understatement sweetheart. Does he get off to forcibly removing people from other realms and bringing them to Asgard with a hidden agenda which more likely than not involves some kind of manipulation or exploitation? Dude needs a hobby.  Aside from forcibly removing people from other realms and bringing them to Asgard with a hidden agenda which more likely than not involves some kind of manipulation and exploitation."


End file.
